Ethel May Miller

Ethel May Miller, 91, died Thursday, January 28, 2010 at Brewster Place. She was born on November 17, 1918 in Topeka, the daughter of Albert and Winifred Schober. She graduated with honors from both Topeka High School in 1936 and from Ottawa University in 1940. Ethel May was active both as a volunteer and professionally in local, state and national efforts on behalf of persons with mental retardation. She was an original member of the Topeka and Kansas Association for Retarded Citizens. She was a past board member and vice-president of the Association for Retarded Citizens, USA, prior to her accepting the position of Executive Director of the Topeka ARC in 1961. The Community Center operated by the Topeka ARC, which she helped organize, was renamed the Ethel May Miller Community Center in 1976 upon her retirement. Throughout her life, she received outstanding community service awards, distinguished service awards and numerous volunteer awards at the local, state and national levels. She was appointed by five different governors from 1959-1990 to every steering committee, interagency committee, planning council, and advisory commission that the State of Kansas had on mental retardation. In 1962, she served on President Kennedy's Task Force on Mental Retardation. Ethel May received numerous honors and awards for her community services including being named Topeka's Woman of the Year in 1955; receiving the first Ramona Hood Memorial Award, 1960; the Lane Bryant Annual Semi-finalist Award in New York, 1964; the Sertoma Evening Club Services to Mankind Award, 1964; Outstanding Employee of the Year Within the ARC Movement, ARC/USA, 1974; the Kansas Association of Rehabilitation Facilities Outstanding Individual Service Award, 1981; Association for Retarded Citizens of Kansas Distinguished Services Award, 1983; the Volunteer of the Year Award of the Kansas Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities, 1984; and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Developmental Disabilities Volunteer Recognition Award of Kansas, 1984 "for her leadership in preparation of and testimony for the passage of significant legislation affecting persons with developmental disabilities." A violinist, Ethel May was an original member of the Topeka Symphony, retiring in 1976 after 30 years, 10 of which were as a concertmaster. She was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church of which she was a past elder, clerk of session, and choir member. She was a past member of Minerva Club, Three Arts Club and Chapter AJ of PEO; an honorary member of Nonoso and Civitan Club; and a patron member of Kansas Press Women. Ethel May married Adrian Miller on June 12, 1940 in Topeka. He preceded her in death on October 27, 1995. She was also preceded in death by an infant son, Donald Adrian and her sister, Marjorie Haworth. Her loving devotion to her family will be missed by her daughters, Nancy Lynne Miller and Marcia Ann Miller and by her son and daughter-in-law, Michael Adrian and Ronda Miller, all of Topeka; three granddaughters, one grandson; seven great-grandchildren; and a brother, Robert Schober of Tulsa, OK. Memorial services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Monday at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Private graveside services and burial will take place in Mount Hope Cemetery. Ethel May will lie in state and the family will receive friends from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Sunday at Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the Topeka Association for Retarded Citizens Endowment Fund, 2701 SW Randolph Ave., Topeka, KS 66611.