Doris ‘Meme’ Miller

Doris ‘Meme’ Miller

GREAT BARRINGTON — Doris “Meme” Miller, 80, passed away on June 26, 2020, at her home in Port Charlotte, Fla.

Born on Dec. 12, 1939, in Great Barrington, she was the first child of the late John A. DeLand Sr. and Luella (Markham) DeLand.

She attended Roeliff Jansen Central School in Copake, N.Y., and then Mount Everett High School in Sheffield.

Doris wore many different hats when she was in the workforce, all while balancing family life. In her early years, she was a Nursing Assistant at The Pines Nursing Home; Packaging Operator at Becton Dickinson; Assembly Lineworker at Bicron Electronics; Dietary Supervisor at Noble Horizons; Supervisor at The Lakeville Journal; Private Duty Caregiver; and she owned a lawn mowing business with her husband up until her retirement.

She married her husband, the late Kenneth Miller, on Aug. 8, 1996, in Niagara Falls.

In 2012, she retired and moved to Florida with her husband full-time after selling their home in Copake Falls. Although she lived in Florida full-time, she would still visit family during the holidays and attended special milestones. She also could not go back to her home in Florida until she made her infamous spaghetti and homemade sauce.

She loved spending time with her family, especially time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. When she wasn’t watching NASCAR, she enjoyed camping throughout the United States, crafting, knitting and crocheting.

One of her favorite sayings was “What’s that noise?” and we are beginning to understand what a treasure that truly is.

She leaves two children, Melissa Waldron of North Canaan and Patrick McGuire and his wife, Beth, of North Canaan; four siblings, John A. DeLand Jr., and his wife, Penny, of Housatonic, Mass., Stephen DeLand Sr. and his wife, Hisae, of Japan, Brian DeLand and his companion, Andrea Eichstedt, of Sheffield and Karen DeLand and her companion, Michael Murphy, of Alford, Mass.; five grandchildren, Amy Kuhn and her husband, Joshua, of San Antonio, Texas, Adam Waldron and his wife, Michele, of North Canaan, Heather Tatro, and her husband, Christopher, of San Antonio and Hannah McGuire and Connor McGuire, both of North Canaan; and two great-grandchildren and one on the way, Kennedy Kuhn, Addison Waldron and Olivia Tatro.

She was predeceased by her husband, Kenneth Miller, in October 2017. She was also predeceased by one brother, Charles DeLand, in January 2016.

Due to COVID-19, a private memorial service will be held at a later date.

Latest News

Thanks To You, Our Recent Donors

Thanks To You, Our Recent Donors

Your contributions over the last year have made delivering trusted, local news possible.

Listed are donors who generously made a gift to The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News between January 1, 2025 through January 31, 2026*

Keep ReadingShow less

Swift House committee learns of potential buyer at first meeting

Swift House committee learns of potential buyer at first meeting

Swift House in Kent.

By Ruth Epstein

KENT — The fate of the Swift House is once again front and center after the newly formed Swift House Investigation Committee held its first meeting Tuesday, Feb. 24 — and learned that a local attorney is interested in buying the historic property.

At the meeting’s outset, committee member Marge Smith said local attorney Anthony Palumbo has expressed interest in purchasing the building. “He loves it and said he’d be honored to buy it and maybe lease part of it back to the town. He would be OK with a conservation easement.” She said he supports several previously proposed uses, including a welcome center and exhibition space.

Keep ReadingShow less
history

Sharon median home price rises to $710,000 as inventory tightens

Sharon median home price rises to $710,000 as inventory tightens

119 Amenia Union Road — A four-bedroom, 2.5-bath home built in 1872 on 4.42 acres recently sold for $522,500.

Photo by Christine Bates

SHARON — The 12-month trailing median price for a single-family home in Sharon increased to $710,000 for the period ending Jan. 31, 2026 — its highest point since September 2024 as home values across much of Connecticut continued to edge higher.

The figure marks an increase from the $560,000 median recorded for the 12 months ending Jan. 31, 2025, and from $645,000 for the comparable period ending Jan. 31, 2024. While January and February are typically slow months, the 12-month rolling figure reflects a broader reset.

Keep ReadingShow less
real estate
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

Kent's towering snowman honors Robbie Kennedy

Kent's towering snowman honors Robbie Kennedy

Jeff Kennedy visits the 20-foot-high snowman located in the Golden Falcon lot in Kent that was created in honor of his late brother Robbie Kennedy.

Note: An earlier version of this article included a different photo.

Photo by Ruth Epstein

KENT – Snowman Robbie stands prominently in the center of town, just as its namesake — longtime Kent resident Robbie Kennedy — did for so many years.

The 20-foot-high frozen sculpture pays tribute to Kennedy, who died Feb. 9, at the age of 71. A beloved member of the community, he was a familiar sight riding his bicycle along town roads waving to all he passed. Many people knew him from his days working at Davis IGA, the local supermarket. He was embraced by the Kent Fire Department, where he was named an active emergency member and whose members chipped in to buy him a new bike, and by the Kent School football team where coach Ben Martin made him his assistant. At Templeton Farms senior apartments, he was the helpful tenant, always eager to assist his neighbors.

Keep ReadingShow less
community

Classifieds - February 26, 2026

Classifieds - February 26, 2026

Help Wanted

PART-TIME CARE-GIVER NEEDED: possibly LIVE-IN. Bright private STUDIO on 10 acres. Queen Bed, En-Suite Bathroom, Kitchenette & Garage. SHARON 407-620-7777.

The Salisbury Association’s Land Trust seeks part-time Land Steward: Responsibilities include monitoring easements and preserves, filing monitoring reports, documenting and reporting violations or encroachments, and recruiting and supervising volunteer monitors. The Steward will also execute preserve and trail stewardship according to Management Plans and manage contractor activity. Up to 10 hours per week, compensation commensurate with experience. Further details and requirements are available on request. To apply: Send cover letter, resume, and references to info@salisburyassociation.org. The Salisbury Association is an equal opportunity employer.

Keep ReadingShow less

To save birds, plant for caterpillars

To save birds, plant for caterpillars

Fireweed attracts the fabulous hummingbird sphinx moth.

Photo provided by Wild Seed Project

You must figure that, as rough as the cold weather has been for us, it’s worse for wildlife. Here, by the banks of the Housatonic, flocks of dark-eyed juncos, song sparrows, tufted titmice and black-capped chickadees have taken up residence in the boxwood — presumably because of its proximity to the breakfast bar. I no longer have a bird feeder after bears destroyed two versions and simply throw chili-flavored birdseed onto the snow twice a day. The tiny creatures from the boxwood are joined by blue jays, cardinals and a solitary flicker.

These birds will soon enough be nesting, and their babies will require a nonstop diet of caterpillars. This source of soft-bodied protein makes up more than 90 percent of native bird chicks’ diets, with each clutch consuming between 6,000 and 9,000 caterpillars before they fledge. That means we need a lot of caterpillars if we want our bird population to survive.

Keep ReadingShow less
the ungardener
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.