MARLENE ODETTE MILLER

After a long and courageous fight with cancer, Marlene Odette Miller passed away on May 24 in Miami, Florida at the age of 81. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends, students and the many others whose lives she touched.

Marlene was born in Poland, grew up in the Dominican Republic and attended high school in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish, graduating with honors in three years at the University of Miami. She married Leonard Miller, and they settled in Teaneck, New Jersey where she earned a master’s in teaching at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Throughout her life, she taught languages at the high school, college and professional levels including Spanish, French, Russian and English. She had a passion for traveling, which led her to move with her children to Paris, France where she taught English as a second language, and worked as an interpreter for the U.N.

Once she returned to the U.S., she settled in Rochester, Minnesota where she taught Spanish at all levels and was an interpreter for the Mayo Clinic. She earned her second master’s in Spanish at the University of Wisconsin, and afterward moved to the Florida Keys (Islamorada), where she met her husband Rudy. She was a beloved Spanish teacher at Coral Shores High School and the commu- nity college in Monroe County until she retired. Marlene was an avid reader, an amazing cook and a very talented and beautiful writer of both prose and poetry.

Marlene is survived by her husband Rudy; her sister and brotherin-law, Bobbi and Steve; her children, Stephanie and son-in-law Matt and Cindy and son-in-law Chris; her stepdaughter Sandra; her grandchildren Lara, Hailey, Audrey and Daniel; and step-grandchildren Rachel, Josh, Rebecca and Jeremy and step-greatgrandchildren, Sebastian, Stella, Tyler, Jacob, Isaiah, Zoey, Ashley and Tevin.

She was a deeply caring and generous person, a warrior advocate who championed those who struggle the most. She left a legacy of fierce love for her family that will live on in us all. Marlene’s family would like to thank the staff at AccentCare Hospice and The Palace for their attentive care. A celebration of her life service will be announced at a later date. Memorial donations can be made to World Central Kitchen.

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