| Notes |
- Obituary
Claudia L. Miller
Of Niagara Falls, NY, passed away peacefully at home on Monday July 10, 2023. She was born in Buffalo, NY, on December 11, 1945, a daughter of the late Raymond D. and Shirley (Barr) Miller.
Claudia was a graduate of Niagara Falls High School, class of 1963.
She was the Maid of the Mist in 1965, something she was so very proud of. She was Lelawala and wore it with pride. The Tuscarora Nation, then led by Chief Elton Greene, was her second family after that.
Claudia was a trailblazer and champion for all things fair and just. She was a civil rights activist in the 1960s, marching for integration on the Niagara Falls City School Board. In the 1990's, she was a fierce advocate for keeping Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center fully operational and free of the Catholic Health System. Claudia was a staunch advocate for womens' autonomy and the right to choose. She is best remembered for unwavering passion for her beliefs.
Claudia applied her talents as a grant writer and fundraiser, benefiting non-profit organizations for which she felt the deepest passion. Both ArtPark and Planned Parenthood of Niagara County, benefited from her many years of devotion. She was always hometown proud and a true ambassador of her beloved City of Niagara Falls.
She spent her retirement years working as a concierge at Gray Line Niagara Falls where she found great joy telling visitors about her city and its history.
Claudia is survived by her adoring daughter, Catherine "Katie" (Steve Williams) White, the light of her life, her granddaughter, Haley E. Pletcher, two brothers, Charles F. (Kathy) Miller and John M. Miller, her best friend of many years, Susan B. Loughran, her beloved cat, Newman, as well as nieces and nephews. Her cherished friends were her pride and joy. They were her invaluable support throughout her life, the isolation of the pandemic and beyond.
She was the sister of the late Nicholas B. Miller, and former wife of the late Very Reverend Guy R. Peek and the late Francis (Bud) White.
Claudia's Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, July 15, 2023 at 11:00 AM at St Peter’s Episcopal Church, 140 Rainbow Blvd Niagara Falls NY.
Memorials can be made in her memory to Planned Parenthood of Western and Central New York, 114 University Ave., Rochester NY 14605 or American Heart Association, 936 Delaware Ave. #100, Buffalo NY 14209.
Arrangements were made through the RHONEY FUNERAL HOME, Niagara Falls, NY.
Visit www.rhoneyfuneralhome.com, for guest register.
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1945 - 2023 (77 years)