Jean Hicks Miller

August 28, 1937 - December 11, 2016

On Sunday, December 11, 2016, Jean Hicks Miller passed away peacefully at her home in San Diego, California. Jean courageously battled stage four lung cancer for five years and was an inspiration in her grace and dignity. The Miller family is forever grateful for the love and support received from family and friends throughout Jean's illness. Dr. Bazhenova and the team at UCSD Moore's Canter Center provided an unparalleled level of care which extended Jean's life and allowed for many wonderful family gatherings. A wonderful wife, mother, sister, grandmother and friend, she will be missed.

Jean was born in Riverside on August 28, 1937, to Harold Hicks and Caroline (Summers) Hicks and attended Palm Springs High School. She graduated from the University of San Diego College for Women in 1959, earning a B.A. in Sociology. Three weeks later she married her beloved Kenneth E. Miller and moved to Philadelphia where he attended medical school. They returned to San Diego where they raised four children. Jean worked at Perfect Pan to share her love of cooking. She travelled extensively to Japan, Malta, Italy, France, Russia, and South America with her husband, family and alumni groups.

Jean has supported Sacred Heart education as a tireless volunteer. An active member of her local Sacred Heart Alumnae/Association, she served on the Board as President, Chair of a National Conference, Chair of a Western Regional Conference, and also served on the organizing committee for Women Together, to support homeless and battered women. She organized and provided support for Catholic Charities' Homeless Women's Services, the YMCA, and Episcopal Community Services. Her efforts helped raised over a million dollars to address women's issues, specifically, homelessness and abuse. For many years, Jean also organized a weekly meal for 60 women at Rachel's Women's Center.

Jean was a member of the University of San Diego Alumni Board, the Dean's Advisory Board for the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, a member of the Homecoming Committee, and the Advisory Board for the Institute of Christian Ministry. As recognition for her extensive service to the University, she received the Mother Rosalie Hill Award in 2007. Touching many by her example, grace and dignity, Jean was also awarded the prestigious national Cor Unum Award given to Alumnae of the Sacred Heart.

In the Immaculate Conception Parish, Jean was a Lector, Eucharistic Minister, and chaired and served on numerous parish activities and events.

Jean is now reunited with her beloved son Alex Miller who sadly passed away from cancer in 2008. She is survived by her loving husband, Dr. Kenneth E. Miller, her children Caroline Lund of Los Angeles, Jennifer Miller of Newport Beach, Chris Miller of San Francisco, her grandchildren Isabel Lund (16), Audrey Miller (6), Alex Miller (3), her son-in-law Bob Lund, daughter-in-law Kathleen Moss Miller, and Jean's three siblings, Jim Hicks, Gail Ostergaard, and Dennis Hicks.

A funeral Mass for Jean will be held at the Immaculata at the University of San Diego, on December 29, 2016, at 11:00 a.m., with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts, in memory of Jean Miller, be sent to UCSD Foundation, c/o Dr. Lyudmila Bazhenova, 3855 Health Sciences Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093 or Scripps Health Foundation for Hospice, PO Box 2669, La Jolla, CA 92038.

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Published by The Desert Sun on Dec. 18, 2016.