Margaret Mary Howard Miller

MARGARET MARY HOWARD MILLER: WRITER, PHILANTHROPIST, WIFE, MOTHER

Of natural causes on June 21, 2014, in Los Angeles, in the home her family has owned since 1929.

Born on August 4, 1920, Margaret Mary (MM) was a 3rd generation Angelena. Her mother was Mabel Murray Howard and her father, George A.J. Howard was a banker and real estate developer who helped negotiate economic elements of the Treaty of Versailles for the US government.

Young MM enjoyed water sports and was an avid surfer and distance swimmer. MM loved reading more than she enjoyed sports and so she became a writer. While a student at Immaculate Heart High School, she wrote a youth column in one of Los Angeles’ evening newspapers. MM graduated from UCLA in three years with a degree in English. While at UCLA she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and later was active in their national organization. After graduation, she became one of the first female screenwriters at MGM. She continued taking writing and English classes at UCLA, amassing over 100 graduate units. Meanwhile, MM wrote screenplays for film and later TV and did occasional re-writes. MM was never at a loss for words, written or oral.

MM worked tirelessly for her community, her schools and education generally. She was a docent at LACMA, wrote the docent training manual and was an early member of the Blue Ribbon 400 at the Music Center. With four friends she started “The Group” to produce events and auctions in support of the Otis Art Institute. MM served on numerous boards. She was a founding member of the Board of Regents of Immaculate Heart College and also served on the Boards of Trustees of Loyola Marymount University, the Los Angeles chapters of both the Red Cross Blood Services and the Disaster Services Divisions and the Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women. She worked delivering food to the needy and raising money for Cuisine a Roulettes, in support of Meals on Wheels. MM was very proud of the blood drives she started at Larchmont and Loyola High School which continue to this day.

In recognition of her support of Catholic education, and her various non-denominational community support activities, Pope John Paul II honored MM by knighting her as a Dame of the Order of Malta in 1990.

MM was predeceased by her beloved husband of 48 years W. Owens Miller and her brothers George, Murray, Frank and Jack Howard. MM’s love and encouragement will be missed by her children Murphy (Sara), O’Malley (Ann), Erin (Ron Culver) and Cassie, step-son Michael (Dottie), and six grandsons Brendan (Nevin), Patrick (Claire), Kevin (Lindsey), John Owens, Brian (Laura), Grady and great-granddaughter, Harper.

Her funeral will be held on Thursday, June 26, 2014 at 10:30am at St. Brendan Catholic Church, 310 South Van Ness Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90020. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Red Cross.