Patsy Sue Ellen
Cloves Miller passed away in Coos Bay, Oregon, on October 23, 2026, at the age
of 96,
leaving behind a lifetime of cherished memories, laughter,
creativity, and deep love for her family and
community.
Patsy was born on September 23, 1930, in San Pedro,
California, to Arthur William Cloves and HelenAEnona Killebrew. During her childhood, she moved with her
mother to Portland, Oregon, and attended school in St. Helens. Some of her fondest childhood
memories included visits with her beloved “Bubba” and the beautiful sight of Mount Hood, a
mountain that remained special to her throughout her life.
At the age of 14, she traveled to New York with her father,
who served as a lieutenant and division
officer in the United States Coast Guard. One of her
treasured memories was visiting the Statue of
Liberty with her father and going inside the historic
monument, an experience she continued to share
with her family.
On June 5, 1949, Patsy married Ralph Edward Miller in
Yachats, Oregon. Together, they began a life
that would include six children, many moves, and countless
family memories. After welcoming their
first three children, they settled in Crescent City,
California, around 1961, where their remaining three
children were born. Crescent City became home and remained a
special place in her heart.
She had a lifelong passion for art and creativity. She
attended College of the Redwoods, where she
studied art. She enjoyed painting a variety of subjects, but
landscapes were among her favorites,
particularly scenes inspired by the Forks of Salmon, the
majestic redwood forests, and her beloved
Mount Hood. A talented seamstress, she put her skills to use
in countless ways, especially for her
children. For approximately 14 years, she lovingly made
uniforms for the girls’ marching group, the
Crescentettes, and could often be seen marching alongside
them in parades. She also enjoyed making
the skirts for Karie's eighth-grade cheerleading team.
Her artistic talents extended to the kitchen, where she
delighted in making elaborate homemade cakes
for birthdays, baby showers, and other family celebrations.
Her grandchildren were especially
fortunate to receive cakes shaped like Cabbage Patch Kids,
cats, dinosaurs, bears, unicorns, and
whatever else her imagination could bring to life.
She also enjoyed belly dancing with her best friend,
Barbara. She even made her own colorful dancing outfits,complete with flowing
harem pants and ornate belly chains. The two also enjoyed playing golf together.Among her many interests was amateur radio. She held an FCC
Technician Class license under the callsign KF6ACQ.
Her dedication to children extended far beyond her own
family. She worked for many years as a
teacher's aide in several schools throughout Crescent City,
helping and encouraging young students.
She continued that dedication through the Foster Grandparent
Program. In 2012, she received a
Certificate of Appreciation honoring her eight years of
volunteer service mentoring children in her
community.
She was also an active member of the Del Norte High School
Marching Band booster club,
affectionately known as the “Band-AIDs,” an experience that
provided opportunities for travel and
adventure.
Throughout her life, she enjoyed traveling and experiencing
new places. Her travels included Canada,
Australia, England, Austria, and Germany. Ireland held a
special place in her heart. Although she
never had the opportunity to visit, she fondly recalled
flying over the country on her way to Germany.
It was a memory she later shared with her granddaughter Joni
Kay.
In 2005, she became involved with the Society for Creative
Anachronism (SCA), an organization
devoted to recreating aspects of the Middle Ages. As a
sustaining member, she was known by her
chosen name, Liadan Cloves of St. Johns. She especially
enjoyed dressing in period garb and
participating in Renaissance festivities. She even had her
own Irish-inspired family crest, featuring a
white unicorn against a background of yellow and green,
accented with red heraldic symbols.
In 2017, she moved to Coos Bay, Oregon, to be closer to her
daughter Karie as her health needs
changed. She made her home at Ocean Ridge, where she formed
many friendships and became
involved in community activities. Having sung tenor in her
younger years, she enjoyed becoming a
member of Ocean Ridge's Jug Band. She especially looked
forward to participating in their holiday
concerts, proudly wearing the matching red fleece jacket
shared by the group.
An avid reader, she could often be found enjoying three,
four, or sometimes even five books at the
same time. She also loved drawing and coloring, particularly
with her collection of colorful gel pens.
Mount Hood remained one of her favorite subjects to draw,
connecting her to treasured childhood
memories. She had a special fondness for cats and dragons,
and in her later years, gnomes became
something of an obsession.
She loved sharing her finished coloring pages, often giving
them to anyone she thought might enjoy
one. It was her own special way of bringing a little
happiness to others. Just as she found joy in giving,
she was equally gracious and grateful when receiving a gift.
No matter how big or small, she was
genuinely delighted that someone had thought of her. Her
excitement was unmistakable. Her heartfelt
thank-yous and delighted expressions of “Oh, I love it!”
were always genuine and filled with love.
During her time in Coos Bay, she formed a particularly
meaningful friendship with Jaquie and her son
Gabriel. She became a mentor to Gabriel, and the bond they
all shared remained an important part of
her life until her passing.
In 2023, she moved to Avamere as her health needs increased.
There, she continued to make friends
and share her joyful personality with others, bringing them
happiness through the artwork she loved
to share. Just as at Ocean Ridge, those who came to know and
love her spoke of how much they would
miss her warm smile, infectious laughter, and the familiar
sight of her happily coloring.
In the days that remained, her daughter Karie could often be
found by her side, playing Irish music,
offering gentle words of comfort, and reminding her mama
just how much she was loved. Surrounded
by love, she received the comfort, grace, and dignity she so
deserved.
Patsy was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur William
Cloves and Helen AEnona Killebrew; her
brother, Tony Gadotti; her beloved husband, Ralph Edward
Miller; her sons, Rick Edward, Alan Ray,
and Leslie Anson Miller; her daughter, Julie AEnona Miller;
and her grandsons, Jonathon Steven and
Stanford Lee Cunningham.
She is survived by her son, Steven Arthur Miller; her
daughter and son-in-law, Karie Ellen and Jon
Silva; and her daughters-in-law, Lori Miller and Yvonne
Miller.
Her grandchildren and their families include Shawn and his
daughters, Avyn and Sage; Kayla and her
husband, Travis Elam, and their children, Thomas, Tylor, and
Kendall; Steven Patrick Miller; Emily
Mychael Carmichael and her children, Blaine and Eva; Brandy
Webb; Charity and her husband,
Brandon Moore, and their children, Zylynn and Atreyu;
Tiffany and her husband, John Souza; Kenneth
and his wife, Crystal Cunningham, and their children, Seren
and Stanford; Joni Kay and her husband,
Zach Williams, and their children, Dax and Shay; MichaelAnn
and her husband, Stefan Stevenot, and
their children, Delila and August; and David Henry “Hank”
and his wife, Taylee Silva, and their
children, David and Luke.She also leaves behind numerous nieces, nephews, extended
family members, and dear friends.
She often spoke of her desire to return to Crescent City.
Although she had made a home in Coos Bay,
her heart had never truly left the community where she
raised her family and created so many
cherished memories. Going home was something she deeply
wished for, and she spoke with genuine
excitement about returning to the place she loved.
To honor her heartfelt wish, her daughter Karie will keep
the promise she made—to bring her home to
Crescent City, where she will be laid to rest.
Patsy will be remembered for her beautiful smile, her
laughter, her creativity, her love of family, and
the joy she brought to those around her.
After all these years, my Mama is finally home.