Marcia A. Miller

December 25, 1942 – October 20, 2020

“In the lilt of Irish laughter, you can hear the angels sing” … and so they are today.

The sound of Irish music is resounding in Heaven and the rhythm of the Irish jig being danced has the

angels clapping and cheering in celebration of the arrival of Marcia Anne Farrell Miller on Tuesday,

October 20, 2020. Indeed, the Irish lass was greeted with welcoming hugs and kisses by her parents,

grandparents, nieces, grand-nieces, other family and close friends.

Born on Christmas Day 1942 to Estelle and Thomas Farrell, Marcia brought joy to all who knew and

loved her over the course of her 77+ years on Earth. She led a spectacular life filled with tremendous

joy, exciting adventures, selfless love for others, amazing friendships, generous sharing of her teaching

skills, incredible family times, and unrelenting fun.

Beginning with eight years at St. Thomas School in Irondequoit, followed by four years at Our Lady of

Mercy High School in Brighton, she capped it all off with thirteen years as member of the Sisters of

Mercy (Sister Marcia) during which time she graduated with majors in French and Education from

Nazareth College in Rochester. In 1975, having left the convent and enjoying her teaching career, she

met and married the man she loved with all her heart, Bernard J. (“Bud”) Miller. Together they formed

the most perfect team as husband-and-wife and as parents to Michael and John. They were overjoyed

when both Mike and John married Keri Anne Castellano and Bridget Preston, and both daughters-in-law

captured Marcia’s heart. When John and Bridget’s four sons arrived (Kevin, Ian, and twins Benjamin and

Sean) Marcia’s life was bursting with happiness. Her love and pride in her children and grandchildren

was apparent to anyone who happened to be near her when she was on the sidelines cheering them on

during baseball, basketball and soccer games, or swimming meets.

Marcia shared her teaching skills during her years at St. Louis Elementary School, Cardinal Mooney High

School, Christ The King Elementary School, Berlitz School of Languages, after which she became

Assistant Librarian at Aquinas Institute before being named Administrative Assistant to the Principal at

Aquinas.

A voracious reader, she was also an avid piano player who loved to play songs to which others could sing

along. As a youngster, she fell in love with horses and kept that love throughout her life. Languages

intrigued her, often meeting and conversing with new friends in the language of their choice. The beach

was a favorite spot for vacations whether in Hollywood Beach, FL, the Thousand Islands in Canada,

North Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, in earlier years Conesus Lake where the family vacation cabin was

called “Memories” and, of course, the fulfillment of her dream was her trip to Ireland to visit the three

towns where her grandfather and great-grandparents lived. She stood on the sidewalk in front of what

was then their home and shed warm tears at the knowledge that her feet were on the very spot that her

Grandpa Farrell stood on the day he made the decision to come to America.

Her volunteer commitment was legendary, ranging from working with the deaf to helping at the House

of Mercy to teaching ESOL to helping at St. Charles Rectory. She supported a long list of charitable

causes including Special Olympics and Camp SOAR, Goodwill Industries, the Diocese of Rochester,

McQuaid Jesuit school and her late niece’s scholarship fund at Central Piedmont Community College in

Charlotte, NC.

Those who will miss Marcia every single day include her husband, Bud; her sons and daughters-in-law

Mike (Keri) and John (Bridget); her grandsons Kevin, Ian, Ben and Sean; her sisters Marilynn (Bob)

Bowler of North Carolina; Patricia (Jim) Broome of South Carolina; along with all the family and friends

who loved her.

In lieu of flowers, Marcia requests that donations be made to the House of Mercy (checks payable to

Sister Grace Miller, 285 Ormond Street, Rochester, NY 14605) or to the Victoria Anne Bowler Memorial

Scholarship (named for her late Godchild) ~ PO Box 35009, Charlotte, NC 28235.



To watch a recording of the funeral mass please CLICK HERE after the funeral has taken place.