Carlaine Madeline Miller

1930 - 2020

Carlaine Madeline (Balduf) Miller

May 17, 1930 - July 10, 2020

(Photo by Max Munn Autrey, Hollywood circa 1950)

Carlaine quietly left our world in the wee hours of Friday, July 10, 2020. She rested comfortably, her loving niece Lisa Kay by her side and surrounded by her watercolor paintings, carefully-tended flower garden and the prayers of those who loved her so much.

The daughter of Toledo (Ohio) bakery owners Carl Raymond and Nell Wolf Balduf, Carlaine graduated from Maumee High School in 1948. After declining a vocal-performance scholarship from Oberlin College, Carlaine attended The University of Toledo, graduating with a degree in Education plus all-around theatrical experience. She subsequently followed her star to an M.A. in Theater at The University of Michigan.

A stalwart member of the Toledo Repertoire Theater, Carlaine first attended its young-people's acting classes while in high school. She then rose through the Theater's ranks to become a member of its Board of Trustees along with decades of acting, directing, publicizing, set constructing, money raising and otherwise doing whatever she felt necessary to further the well-being of Toledo's signature live theater. Carlaine also freelanced as a stage director, most notably for drama and musical theater at Toledo Waite High School.

On March 1, 1958, Carlaine married William C. (Bill) Miller, a highly-regarded construction engineer, plant engineer and engineering consultant for the world-wide operations of glass bottle manufacturer Owens-Illinois, Inc.

Travelling with Bill, Carlaine found herself a temporary "homemaker" in places like South Jersey, New Orleans, Central Florida and Northern California, always seeking out and making new friends in the local theater groups. She was also able to exercise her theatrical and organizational chops— teaching Theater at The College at Brockport (SUNY)… Vice President and Orchestra Manager of the Lakeland (Florida) Symphony Orchestra… VP of the Lakeland Little Theatre Board plus Show Bill chairman, Advertising Committee member and production crew member.

After Bill's retirement from O-I, their "off-the-clock" travel found them on numerous cruise ships and flights to Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Greece, Mediterranean ports, Sweden, Norway, the Galapagos' Islands and New Zealand.

Although Carlaine and Bill traveled the globe, their home base was a lovely two-bedroom condominium property, replete with a well-kept swimming pool, well equipped clubhouse, nearby golf course, lovely neighbors and a Maumee address. Carlaine, of course, was active in and around the condominium association's board of governors (no one knows for sure how many decades Carlaine served on the board because she seems to have predated everyone else).

Carlaine's and Bill's loving marriage was to last 51 years, until his death on May 21, 2009, after five years of dialysis under Carlaine's tender care. But Carlaine carried on like the trouper she was— painting lovely watercolors, tending her flower garden and patiently waiting to be with Bill again.

Carlaine is survived by her loving brother, Carl Ray (Mary Ann Crugher) Balduf; nephew, Owen Lee (Leah) Balduf; nieces, Lisa Kay (Louie P.) Adams and Sara Lyn (Randy) Adams; grandnephew, Lucas Adams; grandnieces, Sophia Maher and Amanda Maher-Balduf; grandnieces, Clara Jean and Ella Ray Adams and great grand niece and nephew, Clarice and George DeMeulenaere.

The family requests memorial contributions to Ohio Living Home Care and Hospice, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Maumee and St. Luke's Hospital.

Memorial Services are pending within the next year.