Mary Miller

Mary Lee Miller, 94, of Cape Girardeau passed away Sunday, June 23, 2024, at Chateau Girardeau.

She was born April 19, 1930, in Cape Girardeau, the daughter of Joseph and Jessie Lee Stone Burciaga Sr. She and John Raney Miller were married Oct. 20, 1951, at First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. They had been married for 60 years, when John passed away Jan. 1, 2012.

Mary was a 1948 graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School. She attended Southeast Missouri State University and earned a master’s degree in elementary education from Webster University in St. Louis.

During her career as an educator of kindergarten through second grade, she taught in the school districts of Cape Girardeau, Kirkwood and Webster Groves. She and John returned to Cape Girardeau in 1991. Mary was a member of the PEO Chapter FY and the Missouri State Teachers Association.

Mary enjoyed time with family and friends, walking, biking and bird watching and was an avid bridge player.

Loving survivors include a brother, John (Linda Lu) Burciaga of Newburyport, Massachusetts; many nieces and nephews, including Loren (Karla) Crites of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Joseph R. (Carol) Burciaga III of Tamarac, Florida, and Toni Jeanne Burciaga of Houston.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband; parents; a brother, Joseph R. Burciaga Jr.; and John’s nephew, Kermit Gerhardt.

The family will honor Mary with a private memorial ceremony later.

If considering a memorial contribution, the family suggests St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Cremation arrangements were by McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting clicking on the tribute wall tab above Mary’s obituary article at www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.