Elva “Ellie” J. Miller

Ellie Miller of Lititz, age 79, lost her 2 ½ year battle with leukemia on July 4, 2014 at the Penn State Hershey Cancer Center. She fought courageously and endured many medicines and transfusions thereby managing to have nearly two years in remission since her diagnosis in January 2012. She was born in Lawn, PA, in 1934, the daughter of the late Walter Behney and Margaret Murr Lehman and lived most of her adult life in Madison, NJ. She and her husband, James M. Miller spent 58 happy years together.     They are longtime members of the United Methodist Church in Madison, NJ and enjoyed many years participating in its Couples’ Club with folks who have become lifelong friends. She performed many musical roles in their annual musicals.

She is a graduate of Hershey High School and an alumna of Elizabethtown College. Her studies in secretarial science led her to employment as an executive secretary/administrative assistant, primarily in the banking industry in NJ. She especially loved flowers and music and was a volunteer at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morristown, NJ and sang in several choirs including the Chancel Choir of the United Methodist Church in Madison (for over 40 years), the Thursday Morning Club Chorus in Madison, the a cappella choir at college, and more recently the choir of the Highland Presbyterian Church in Lancaster, PA. She also volunteered at the Morristown Hospital (NJ), and loved arranging flowers for the Altar Guild of her church. She was a member of the Historical Society of Mt. Gretna (PA) and the PEO, Chapter AB (a philanthropic educational organization), of the Madison (NJ) area.

Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her infant daughter Susan Renee and her younger brother Melvin Lehman. Surviving in addition to her husband are two sons, Gregory of Basking Ridge, NJ married to Lori (Bull) and Robert of Upper Saddle River NJ married to Lisa Ann Brady, five grandchildren (Susan married to Michael Perna, Rebecca, married to Johnathan Jenkins, Esther, at home in Basking Ridge, and Luke, and Matthew, at home in Upper Saddle River), one great grandson (Caleb Jenkins), and two sisters, Dorothy L. Hershberger of Huntington, PA, married to Rex Hershberger and Janice L. Ruhl of Lititz, PA, wife of the late Donald E. Ruhl..

Two memorial services are being planned; one in NJ and one in PA. Both will be Celebrations of her Life. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the more convenient one. The first will be the more formal service and will occur at 11 AM on Saturday, August 2, 2014 at the United Methodist Church in Madison, 24 Madison Ave. (route 124) Madison, NJ 07940 with a reception following. The second will be held in the afternoon of Saturday, August 30

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, from 3:00-6:00 PM in the Hall of Philosophy, in Mt. Gretna, PA.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her name can be made to the Memorial Fund of the Madison United Methodist Church, 24 Madison Ave, Madison, NJ 07940.