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Birth:          16 Oct 1922 Brooklyn, N.Y.
Death:          2 Jun 2014 Ghent, N.Y.

Notes
!PUBL
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_C._Miller
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/peninsuladailynews/obituary.aspx?n=margaret-
edith-barton-miller&pid=171386890 :
Margaret Edith Barton Miller (October 16, 1922 - June 2, 2014) Obituary 
Margaret Miller, formerly of Port Angeles, died in Ghent, New York, at the age of 91.

Born in Brooklyn, New York City, to Thomas and Marie Barton, she was the second of 
five children. The family moved to Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, where Margaret 
lived until she left for college.

Margaret's lifelong strong spirit came from her dad, a U.S. Marine, who encouraged 
her to reach for the stars and challenge the limitations women faced. She attended 
Antioch College and had many enriching experiences, including internships at the 
newspaper The Chicago Defender and at a home for unwed mothers in Virginia.

While living in Virginia, she attended classes at a black college and never forgot the 
chilling examples of segregation she observed.

Margaret intended to join the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) during World War 
II, but the war ended just as she obtained her pilot's license.

Margaret married David Miller at Antioch in February 1945. After graduation, they 
moved to Durham, North Carolina, where David attended Duke University Medical 
School. Margaret worked as a medical secretary until their first child was born in 1948.

Four more children would follow within 9½ years.

The family moved to Boston in 1950 so David could complete his medical residency 
and cardiology fellowship. After he completed his education at Harvard, the family 
moved to Maryland, Arizona and in 1959 to a small town in Monterey County, 
California, where David joined a private medical practice.

David took a six-month leave of absence from his medical practice in 1960 to work 
with Dr. Albert Schweitzer at the Schweitzer Hospital in Lambarene, Gabon. Margaret 
held down the fort, caring for her five young children, their dogs, cats and two horses, 
aided by good friends and neighbors.

Margaret was active in the community, serving as Girl Scout troop leader, president of 
the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and swim coach. She began 
the first foreign exchange student program for the high school.

She was also an active member of the Bridge Club and the Sherry Club, and attended 
St. Mark's Episcopal Church. Those were happy years, and lifelong friendships were 
made.

In 1966, David's medical career took them to Honolulu, Hawaii, where Margaret 
completed her master's degree in education at the University of Hawaii, then to 
Atlanta, Georgia, in 1968.

In 1970, David divorced Margaret after 25 years of marriage to marry Rhena 
Schweitzer.

Margaret raised her three children who were still at home and re-entered the workforce 
at the age of 47 as an elementary school teacher and reading specialist. Working with 
children was her love, and she impacted many a child's life by her innovative methods 
of teaching, her patience with the children and her joy in teaching them to read.

Margaret was known for her generosity, bringing food from her home for her students 
who would have otherwise gone hungry. She was an active member of St. Bede's 
Episcopal Church.

In 1988, Margaret retired and moved to Port Angeles to be closer to her oldest 
daughter and family, especially her two young granddaughters. From 1988 to 1992, 
she worked for Peninsula College and the state of Washington, and volunteered with 
the National Park Service.

She built her dream house in 1990 and transformed her 2 acres into beautiful gardens 
(although she was sometimes outsmarted by the deer).

In 2009, she moved into a cottage on her youngest daughter's and son-in-law's land, 
where she lived happily, enjoying the friendships of her son-in-law and her amazing 
caregiver, Michelle Welch.

Four years later, she moved into an elder community, Camphill Ghent, in upstate New 
York, where her daughter, Deborah, was the administrator, allowing Deborah to be 
with her every day.

Margaret made many friends during her 24 years living in Port Angeles, particularly at 
the Port Angeles swimming pool, where she was a fixture until her move to New York. 
Her lifelong love of swimming began at a young age when her father taught all of his 
children to swim and enrolled them in the YMCA swim team. 

Margaret was a competitive swimmer for many years. Her passion for swimming 
touched several generations, as she taught all her children and many of her 
grandchildren to swim. 

She was a talented golfer and tennis player, and a sun-worshipper. She was an avid 
reader, walker, music lover, gardener, nature and animal lover, and was a member of 
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church for many years. 

Margaret personified action and independence. She took the curves life threw her in 
stride, maintaining her father's philosophy of getting back up, shaking yourself off and 
moving forward. In times of sadness, she was the person who kept our family together. 

She was a fiercely loving and protective mother. She was also an exacting mother 
who expected her children to exhibit the values she and our father instilled in us, from 
minding our manners to excelling academically and choosing a profession that would 
make a difference to other people. 

Her love and belief in her children and grandchildren superseded all else. Although 
her health precluded her from attending church later in life, her faith remained strong. 

She met the changes in her health and living situation with grace, humor and strength. 
She was never bitter but was thankful for God's blessings. 

Margaret is survived by her youngest brother, Dewey (Martha) Barton of New Smyrna 
Beach, Florida; her five children, Madeleine (Keith) Harrington of Port Angeles, 
Deborah Grace of Chatham, New York, Susan (Michael) Sheppard of 
Buckinghamshire, England, John (Kerry) Miller of Bloomington, Minnesota, and Pamela 
(Mark) Hawney of Port Angeles; 12 grandchildren; three stepgranddaughters; four 
great-grandsons; two stepgreat-grandchildren; and three nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings John, Robert and June, all of 
whom are buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia; and by her ex-
husband, David. 

Per Margaret's wishes, her body was cremated. A funeral service will be held at St. 
Andrew's Episcopal Church, 510 East Park Avenue in Port Angeles, on Saturday, 
August 2, 2014, at 1:30 p.m. with a reception to follow. 

Contributions in her name can be made to the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society 
(www.ophumanesociety.org/donate) or Camphill Ghent, Chatham 
(www.camphillghent.org).
Published in The Peninsula Daily News on June 18, 2014 

Parents
BARTON Thomas ()
----- Marie ()

Siblings
BARTON Margaret Edith (16 Oct 1922 - 2 Jun 2014)

Marriage To MILLER David Critcherson (9 Mar 1917 - 27 Mar 1997)
    m. Feb 1945 dv. 1970 Antioch, Ohio

Notes

Parents
MILLER Benjamin Hovey (1 Jan 1885 - 12 Jan 1960)
CRITCHERSON Mary Elizabeth ("Lizzie") (11 Dec 1878 - 25 Jul 1955)

Children by MILLER David Critcherson 9 Mar 1917 - 27 Mar 1997
MILLER Susan ()
MILLER Madeline ()
MILLER Deborah J. ()
MILLER John B. ()
MILLER Pamela M. ()

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