Please pray for the repose of the soul of Sister Jean "Jane" Marie Miller, CSJ who passed away on Saturday, January 14, 2023, at Nazareth Living Center in St. Louis, Missouri. She was 84 years of age.

Jean Marie—better known to most as Honey Girl—was born on April 27, 1938, in Keshena, Wisconsin, to parents James and Emma (Reed) Miller. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1953 and was received into the novitiate in 1954 as Sister Marie Kateri. She received her license as a practical nurse in 1964.

Always proud of her Native American heritage as an enrolled member of the Menominee Nation (James), with lineage to the Oneida Nation (Emma), Honey Girl devoted nearly 70 years of faithful service to the ministry, with St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf as Sister Jean for nearly 40 of those years. She began in the mid-1970s when St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf was still located in University City and served as a childcare worker/house parent; research/recreation assistant director and dining room manager. At the Chesterfield location, she served as a purchasing agent, purchasing coordinator and laundress.

Early on in her ministry work, Sister Jean served as a licensed practical nurse. She worked at Nazareth Convent in St. Louis (1956-60), St. Joseph Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri (1964-65) and Riverside Nursing Home in Oconto, Wisconsin (1974-75). She was also a childcare worker/houseparent at St. Joseph Carondelet Child Care Center in Chicago (1960-63), St. Joseph Male Orphanage in Washington, Georgia (1965, January-June), and St. Joseph's Home for Boys in St. Louis (1965-73).

Throughout her time in service to the ministry, she always maintained a close connection to her family on the Menominee Reservation, coming home for regular visits, staying with family, and enjoying the traditional foods and unique kinship found only in Tribal communities. In doing so, as others passed away she quietly assumed the role of family matriarch with daily calls to offer reminders of the importance of faith as a foundation to family strength.

She spent time traveling beyond the routine, making special trips to the Rome with a visit to Vatican City and throughout the United States to share her devotion and love for a higher power. Her willingness to expand her boundaries and explore other places served as an inspiration to many in her family and the other special lives she touched.

Sister Jean retired in 2012 and volunteered at the St. Joseph Provincial House serving her CSJ community. She moved to Nazareth Living Center in 2014 where she carried out her ministry of prayer and presence, becoming a mainstay and playing an informal role of hall monitor from her perch at the end of the hall. Her faith, her new role, and completing jigsaw puzzles with visits from dear friends and family carried her spirit through the challenges of advancing age.

Surrounded by family members to bathe her in comfort and offer reassurance in her final moments, Honey Girl closed her eyes in the late morning of January 14 ^th , took her final breath and quietly joined those preceded in death; her parents and her sister Barbara Jean Rohr (Miller) and brothers James V Miller Jr, Lawrence Miller, John (Jack) Miller, Marvin Miller, Warren Miller and Bernard Miller, along with numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and special friends. She is survived by her youngest brother Mark Miller (Boot) and numerous special cousins, nieces and nephews, and special friends.

A Funeral Mass was held for Sister Jean on Jan. 16 at the Nazareth Living Center Chapel in St. Louis.

Please join us Saturday March 11, 2023, at St. Anthony's in Neopit with visitation to begin at 9:00 am, joined by the Oneida Singers. A Memorial Service will follow at 11:00 am at St. Anthony's Catholic Church. Full Dinner to follow at St Anthony's Hall. The community is invited to join in celebration of the life and remembrance of Honey Girl. Swedberg Funeral Home is assisting with the local memorial arrangements.