Margaret Jean Miller

Margaret Jean Bowlby Miller, Ph.D., 78, was born on August 14, 1943 in Spokane, WA and passed away peacefully on March 20, 2022 at her home at 2233 N Records Way Apt 421, Meridian, ID 83646. Maggie is survived by her husband William D. Miller, brother Robert Bowlby, daughters Jeanine Schlauch and Juliet McKay, and son James Hoskins, three grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.

Maggie grew up in Moscow, ID, graduating from Moscow High School in 1961. She earned a pair of Bachelor degrees from Boise State College in 1970. While raising three children, often on her own, she taught in Boise and McCall, ID and worked at other jobs, too. Her ambition, or calling, however, was to become a counselor. Continuing her education at the University of Idaho in Moscow, she earned a Master of Education, Counseling and Human Services degree in 1986. While working as a counselor at schools in Kellogg, ID and Pullman, WA she studied to earn a Ph.D. degree. Maggie married William (Bill) Miller and moved to Great Falls, MT, where she suffered the coldest winter of her life, in 1988. She worked as a counselor in Student Services at the College of Great Falls (now the University of Providence). Nevertheless, she completed her dissertation and received her Ph.D degree from the University of Idaho in 1989.

Dr. Miller accepted a position as high school counselor at Great Falls High School, while also doing adjunct teaching for the College of Great Falls and Northern Montana College in Havre, Mt. From 1991 to 1994, she was Coordinator and Associate Professor of Counselor Education, Graduate Faculty at the College of Great Falls.

In 1994, Dr. Miller, leading her husband Bill, returned to Boise, ID, accepting the position of Coordinator and Associate Professor of Counseling at Boise State University. By the time she retired in 2007, she had also served as Department Chair and Interim Dean of the College of Education. She earned tenure and achieved Emeritus status.

Maggie was an energetic supporter of the counseling profession. In addition to being licensed in both Montana and Idaho, she was certified nationally. Of her memberships in many professional associations, let mention of only a few suffice: American Counseling Association, Idaho Counseling Association, Association for Counselor Education & Supervision (ACES), Montana ACES charter member, Idaho ACES, and Rocky Mountain ACES, serving as President, 2005. At association meetings, she was often a presenter.

Aside from her professional life, Maggie enjoyed a vibrant personal life. Not mentioned previously is the fact that she was an adjunct professor at Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR in the summers of 1993 and 1994. Weekend sojourns to ocean beaches added to her love of the Oregon coast. In 1995 she and Bill purchased a lot with an ocean view and built a vacation cottage. Beginning in 2000, they added on, making it the home of "Maggie's dreams." She enjoyed sharing in the planning, building--also, frustrations--and decorating. She relaxed with long walks on the beach, got wet when large waves crashed on the rocks, delighted seeing a whale spout, and was entertained by shore birds, especially the sanderlings that skittered along the surf's edge.

Maggie so loved her family. She cherished the time spent with kids and grandkids on birthdays, at Christmas and Thanksgiving, and at any other time. The night the kids and grandkids occupied nearly every square foot of floor space in their sleeping bags at her coast cottage was very special.

Maggie liked being outdoors. She enjoyed hiking, camping, and even fishing. Two motorhomes, a pickup camper and a travel trailer helped provide relaxing breaks as well as opportunities for travel, including two trips to Yukon, Canada. Memorable trips were to Hawaii, a cruise to Alaska, VIA Rail across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 2006, with her daughter Julie and granddaughter Kate, she had a fabulous time touring France and Italy.

An avid gardener, Maggie devoted hours, even days, to working in her flower gardens. The space she had at the coast even allowed her to arrange walking paths among the flowers. Fellow gardeners, and any visitors, were often treated to guided tours as she described and named every plant. Wherever she lived, her home was more beautiful and welcoming because of the flowers and gardens that she nurtured.

The foregoing describes Maggie, but it neglects who she really was.

Maggie was a loving lady with a beautiful mind who practiced integrity, kindness, caring, and helping. She dedicated herself to her family and profession. She took great joy, satisfaction, and, yes, pride as her students successfully became counselors. Maggie received numerous, tangible rewards and honors, but she would be most honored by those whom she mentored and loved who do and will in turn pass those qualities of integrity, kindness, caring, and helping on to others. No greater honor could be claimed.

Finally, I know Maggie has dementia, but as I sit beside her bed while she seemingly lies sleeping, I see a broad smile spread across her lovely face. At times she frowns, and I know not what causes these expressions of joy, fear, or sorrow. I do know, though, that her big smile awakens many memories, filling me with joy and making me smile, too. I love you, Maggie.

Bill

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at https://www.neptunesociety.com/obituaries for the MILLER family.