Waunakee: Jean E. Miller, age 79, passed away Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at St. Mary’s Hospital following a stroke. She was born April 5 1946, the daughter of Carl and Magdalen Brunner, at St. Mary’s Hospital. Jean was a 1964 graduate of Mount Horeb High school. She married Earl George Miller at St. Mary’s of Pine Bluff July 26, 1969. Jean had lived in Waunakee from 1973 until her passing.
Jeannie's life dream was to be a wife and mother, and she mastered it! She married her sweetheart Earl, and they celebrated 40 years of marriage before his passing in 2010. Jeannie made everyone feel welcome! Once you met her, you were going to be friends AND you would make new friends through her. She always sent thoughtful cards for every occasion. Her children affectionately called her "The Ambassador" as everywhere she would go, she would turn a stranger into a new friend! She would always say “My business is public relations and people are my business.”
Thought of by many (beside her own children) as "Mom" she always volunteered for school, church, and community needs. No job was too small. She was a teacher and community leader. With no formal credentials, her compensation was to witness the accomplishments of children and adults whose lives she enriched, sharing her many gifts. She led 4-H groups, Religious Education, and cake decorating classes, as well as many individual lessons upon request. She spearheaded St. John's Adventure bake sale for 14 years which raised money for her children's school and made countless community connections.
She recognized the potential and talents in everyone and encouraged all to do their best. She was generous with her time both in teaching and sharing the fruits of her talents. Jeannie was an expert baker, gardener, caregiver, homemaker, card maker, seamstress, quilter, knitter, and scrapbooker just to name a few of her many gifts. She always liked to make use of what she had, adding her own creativity to make something beautiful and special. She enjoyed sharing her ideas with others, especially her longtime Homemakers group. She was widely known for her famous cinnamon rolls!
She loved to have fun and enjoyed musicals, theater, traveling, and puzzles, but Jeannie especially LOVED playing cards and was a bit of a shark! Euchre, Cribbage and Zioncheck were among her favorites.
She was one of the most faithful women you would ever meet and was overjoyed to share her love and service to the Lord. Jean was a member of St. Mary’s of Pine Bluff in her early years, and then a faithful member of St. John’s in Waunakee where she was a longtime member of RENEW bible study group. She loved life and lived it to the fullest and would always say “Every day is a gift!” Jeannie was one of our greatest gifts and will be remembered by all whose lives she touched.
Jean is survived by her children; Jill (Barry) Salem, Andrew Miller (Special friend Anne Finn), Amy Miller (Christian Bauman), Kim (Brian) Bernards, grandchildren; Kelsey Miller, Hallie Miller, Grant Miller, Tyler Miller, and Rhett Miller, step grandchildren; Aidan, Rebecca, and Bauman, sisters; Charlotte Esser (Lyle), Patricia McNulty, Rosemary Zimmerman, Sr. Jacinta (Carol) Brunner, Teresa (Randy) Butters, Marian Bemis, Leona Hall, Stephanie (Donald) Laufenberg, and a brother Joseph Brunner. She is further survived by brothers and sisters in law; Pauline Brunner, Susan Brunner, Harold Miller (Mary Nelson), and Harvey Miller (Alice), numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Earl Miller, her parents, Carl and Magdalen Brunner, mother and father in law, Jack and Lorna Miller, siblings; Barbara Zander, Mark Brunner, Ronald Brunner, Raymond Brunner, brothers in law; Richard McNulty, Ervin Zander, Jon Zimmerman, Glenn Miller, Gilbert Miller, Orville Miller and sister in law, Sandy Miller, and nephews, Lawrence Zander, and Robert McNulty.
A visitation will be held Monday June 23, 2025 from 4-7 pm at Winn-Cress Funeral Home, 5785 Hwy Q, Waunakee, WI 53597. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 am Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 209 South St., Waunakee, WI, with Fr. Simon Tipps presiding. There will be a visitation from 9:00 am until the time of Mass at church. Burial will follow at St. John’s Catholic Cemetery. The family suggests memorials in Jean’s name be made to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, or the Schoenstatt Movement.
Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice.com
Winn-Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
5785 Hwy Q, Waunakee
(608) 849-4513
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