Obituary of Elaine L. Keefe Miller

Elaine was born in New York City on March 3, 1926. Her parents were first generation Irishmen Frank and Norma (McGirr) Keefe. Frank was an overseas marketing manager for Texaco. Their family traveled throughout her childhood to the Philippines, Ireland and north China, where she spent the majority of her formative years and where her strongest and fondest childhood memories lie. Before WWII started, her mother died in Quindao (now Tsingtao), China in 1938. The U.S. government advised U.S. citizens to leave China, believing war was imminent. She and her siblings left China abruptly and settled for a time in Portland, Oregon. Frank remained in China and became a POW of the Japanese, where he was later released on a prisoner exchange program. Elaine continued her education and entered the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps and trained in Seattle, WA. She graduated from Seattle School of Nursing in 1948. She was obligated to serve in uniform or with the VA. The war ended, so she chose to serve in the VA. She was assigned to the Albuquerque, NM VA hospital where she met her future husband Laddie Miller, a NM Guardsman and veteran of Corregidor, Bataan Death March and a POW of the Japanese in Manchuria, China. He was recovering from various associated illnesses at the VA hospital. They married, settled in Portland and raised six children there. She worked at the Portland VA hospital, but it was her eventual work at St. Vincent Hospital that determined her passionate nursing career path. She worked in the nursery there, with a specific interest in premies. As the progress of neonatal ICU developed, so did Elaine's expertise and love of the field. She became a mentor to many aspiring nurses whom still credit Elaine's inspiration for contributing to their success. In 1977 Elaine and her youngest son, Daniel, moved to Honolulu, Hawaii. She worked in Kaiser's NICU for all those years until her retirement in 1991. She proudly started an annual reunion for former premature babies and their families where they are able to celebrate. Typically she would dress up in a clown costume for that event. Elaine immersed herself in Hawaiian folklore and Polynesian culture. She learned to hula, studied the Hawaiian language and took up the respected and intricate art of making feather hat leis. This became a passion of hers and she loved making leis and listening to Hawaiian music almost as much as she loved a shot of Irish Whisky. She loved the ocean and everything about it. She was a veracious reader. And she was a true and loyal friend to those who loved her. Her heart broke in 2006 when she lost her second son, Tom, to cancer. And then again in 2013 when her first born son, Jim, passed suddenly. As health issues arose and challenged her independence, she knew it was time to let her children surround her with their attention and devotion to keeping her healthy. In July 2014 she moved in with her daughter Susie and her family in Moraga, CA. It was there she could finally let someone pamper her and take away all her worries. The last of her 89 years were happy and peaceful. She loved visits from her children, grandchildren and nieces. Elaine is survived by her brother Ret. Col. John Keefe from Montana, sons Timothy Miller of Salem and Daniel Miller of Portland, daughters Lisa Crader of West Linn, OR and Susan Carlson of Moraga, CA. And grandchildren Wyatt Miller, Morgan Mayfield, David Tomasiewicz, Erik and Annabelle Carlson, Sean and Ryan Miller, Angela and Evan Crader. And many great grandchildren, nieces and nephews who love her. Elaine will be terribly missed by everyone who was lucky enough to call her sister, mother, Tutu, grandma, Auntie, AE, friend. She was one in a million. There will be a private scattering of her ashes in the Pacific Ocean. Elaine's family welcomes anyone to visit the following website to share memories, photos or videos. You may post what you'd like and read posts from other family and friends. www.traditioncare.com.