DAVENPORT — Sister Patricia Miller, CHM, 91, died July 1 at Senior Star Memory Care.
Patricia Jean Miller was born Aug. 29, 1931 in Albion, Nebraska to Roy and Alma (Ranslem) Miller. She earned an RN from St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing-Omaha and completed a BSN at Creighton University-Omaha.
She entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1955, professed vows in 1958 and received her religious name, Sister Mary Alma. After professing final vows, she earned an MSN at Catholic University-Washington, D.C. and a PhD in educational psychology from the University of Iowa.
Sister Miller began her teaching career as an instructor at St. Joseph Hospital-Omaha and St. Joseph Hospital-Ottumwa. She served in the nursing department of Marycrest College-Davenport. She worked for 23 years at the University of Nebraska College of Nursing-Omaha in various roles including professor of nursing, chair of the graduate nursing program, Florence Niedfelt professorship and an endowed research chair. Sister served as professor and chair of the nursing department at Briar Cliff College-Sioux City, Iowa. She then served as a volunteer parish nurse at St. Patrick Parish-Fremont, Nebraska while also caring for her mother. After her mother’s death, Sister Miller moved to Davenport and became a volunteer hospice and homebound caregiver for Our Lady of Victory Parish.
Over the years, she served on and/or chaired many committees for her religious community. During her term as vice president of the congregation, 2004-2008, she also served as board chair of Humility of Mary Housing-Davenport. She completed several long-term research projects, made presentations at academic and research conferences and gave more than 40 workshops. She served as a curriculum consultant for eight colleges and medical centers.
In retirement, she was a member of Progressive Action for the Common Good, a bi-state advocacy group. She strove to highlight deficiencies in the American healthcare system, writing and speaking in favor of healthcare reform, supported the 2012 Nuns on the Bus tour, and in 2014 led a CHM initiative to provide clean water to rural communities in Tanzania.
Her funeral was held July 8 at Humility of Mary Center with burial at Mt. Calvary Cemetery-Davenport. Memorials may be made to the Congregation of the Humility of Mary.
