Mary Louise Miller

1955 - 2008

Mary Miller
Mary Louise Miller was born Jan. 4, 1955 and joined Jesus on Sept. 1, 2008 after battling cancer.
She is survived by her husband and best friend, Pastor Steve Burns; her beloved daughters, Michelle Gumz and Melanie Lindquist; her sons-in-law, Keith Gumz and Andrew Lindquist; step-children, James, Crystal, Alexis, Lotus; and her six adored grandchildren, Kenny Hazelbaker, Allen, Dylan and Jacob Lindquist, and Madison and Keira Gumz. Mary Lou is also survived by her cherished family, her brother Edward Werner Jr., and sister-in-law, Debbie Werner; her sister, Lisa Bolin and brother-in-law, Noble Bolin; her brother, Tom Werner and sister-in-law, Debbie Werner; and her nieces and nephews, Scott and Lilly Pinkerton, Chris, Christy, Ryan, Jenna and Raymond Pinkerton, James, Leah, David and Matthew Andrade, Noble and Megan Bolin and Valerie and Eddie Werner. Mary leaves behind a large extended family and countless friends that she loved like family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Beverley Werner; and her sister, Valerie Pinkerton.
Mary Lou graduated from Barstow High School in 1973. After attending the University of Southern California she returned to the Barstow area to raise her family. In 1987 she began a career in literacy as the site supervisor at the Barstow Library. In 1989 she was chosen as the Barstow Area Chamber of Commerce Woman of the Year for her devotion to literacy in the community. Mary Lou worked for San Bernardino County as a literacy director and it was during this time she met Steve. Their 10th wedding anniversary would have been April 11, 2009. In 1996 she moved to Los Angeles where she established the Family Literacy Program for the City of Glendale. However, Mary Lou's reach went beyond the library. She was an active participant for Relay for Life and the Community Alliance Committee. She was a past president of the Glendale Community Coordinating Council. She also served on the Executive Board of the Workforce Investment Board and chaired its Resource Mapping Committee.
Mary Lou was active in the State Library's California Library Literacy Services organization. She was recognized as a top "trainer of trainers" in her field, and in 2004, she was the only literacy professional selected from Los Angeles County as a MEDALS Fellow, funded by the S. Mark Taper Foundation. In 2004 Mary received a Bachelor of Arts degree in World Studies from National University. The benefits of Mary Lou's hard work are easy to see in the numbers of volunteers and students that participate in the literacy program.
Donations in Mary Lou's honor may be made to Friends of the Glendale Public Library, 222 E Harvard St., Glendale, Calif., 91205. Please memo checks in honor of Mary Miller/Family Literacy.
Mary Lou and her husband Pastor Steve began the Phelan Set Free Church in 1995. Mary was devoted to the church and the Phelan community, working tirelessly to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. Each year the church participated in various community events and supported the growth of the town. In 2003, Mary and Steve received the Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Phelan Chamber of Commerce on behalf of Phelan Set Free Church. One of Mary Lou's dreams was to see a new church built in Phelan to house Set Free. Donations in her name may be made to Phelan Set Free Church, 8777 Hollister Rd, Phelan, CA. 92371.
Services will be held at Oasis Church, 11610 'I' Ave., Hesperia, CA 92345, on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008 at 3 p.m., with a reception to follow. To send flowers, please call Apple Valley Florist at 1-800-269-3660 or visit www.applevalleyfloristinc.com