Ann Russell Miller | |
---|---|
Born | Mary Ann Russell October 30, 1928 San Francisco, California, US |
Died | June 5, 2021 | (aged 92)
Other names | Mary Joseph of the Trinity |
Occupation(s) | Socialite, Carmelite nun |
Children | 10 |
Parent |
|
Ann Russell Miller (October 30, 1928 – June 5, 2021) was an American socialite who left her wealth behind to become a nun, known as sister Mary Joseph of the Trinity.
Early life
Mary Ann Russell was born in San Francisco on October 30, 1928.[1] Her father, Donald J. Russell, chaired Southern Pacific Railroad.[2] Her mother was Louise Herring Russell. [3]
She was an only child after the death at a young age of her sister Donna.[4][3]
Personal life
Russell married Richard K. Miller on June 15, 1948.[5] Richard worked at Pacific Gas and Electric Company, eventually rising to hold the vice presidency. She and Richard had a total of ten children, in birth order, Donna, Douglas, Richard, Janet, Marian, Leslie, Donald, David, Mark and Elena.[3]
She became a prominent socialite in San Francisco, holding a spot on 22 organization boards and donating money to various causes.[1][2][6][7] According to a 2005 feature in the San Francisco Chronicle she was friends with Loretta Young, Nancy Reagan, and Phyllis Diller.[1] Richard died in 1984.[6]
Three years after Richard's death, Miller announced she would be entering a convent,[1] and in 1989 she gave away her wealth to join an order of nuns, the Sisters of Our Lady of Mount Carmel based in Des Plaines, Illinois. When she turned 61 she had held an elaborate goodbye party with 800 attendees, where she announced that "The first two-thirds of my life were devoted to the world. The last third will be devoted to my soul."
Her children, grown by the time of their mother’s choice to join the Carmelites, had a variety of reactions.
“The reactions ranged from complete support: “I was delighted. I think she made the right choice for herself because moderation was not in her vocabulary,” [eldest child Donna] Casey said. “She did everything full-bore, and it was not going to be easy for her to do much of anything. I think what she planned on doing was getting there and becoming the reverend mother immediately and running everything.”
To bitter feelings of abandonment: “Another brother said it was going to be like having two deceased parents, so it was definitely a mixed reaction all the way around,” said Mark Miller, the ninth-born of Miller’s 10 children, who says he became an uncle for the first time at the age of 5 years old.”[3]
Miller remained in the convent for the rest of her life, rarely seeing her family.[6][2][1] According to one of her sons, Mark Miller, “She was kind of an unusual nun. She didn’t sing very well. She was frequently late to her required duties around the convent. She threw sticks for the [community] dogs, which was not allowed. Also, she was my mother.”[2]
Death
Miller died on June 5, 2021.[8] She was buried on the grounds of the convent in Des Plaines, Illinois, and her family had a private funeral for her.[9]
She is survived by Donna Casey, Janet Abbott, Marian Miller, Leslie Schemel and Elena Caruso, sons Dick, Donald, David, and Mark, 28 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.[10]
References
- ^ a b c d e Lara, Adair (March 27, 2005). "From high society to a higher calling / The San Francisco socialite had it all -- 10 children, friends, wealth -- but she traded it in for life in a convent". SFGATE. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
- ^ a b c d O'Donnell, Maureen (June 8, 2021). "Sr. Mary Joseph of the Trinity, socialite who became 'kind of an unusual nun,' dead at 91". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Rumore, Kori (June 13, 2021). "Saying goodbye to 'Nun Grandma': The San Francisco philanthropist, widow and mother of 10 who gave it all up to spend her last 31 years in a Des Plaines monastery". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
- ^ "Socialite Gives Up Wealth, Family to Become a Nun : Convents: Ann Russell Miller of San Francisco leads a cloistered life, after 10 children and years of celebrity and philanthropy. By all accounts, she is happy". Los Angeles Times. October 29, 1994. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Richard Miller Claims Ann Russell". The San Fransisco Examiner. June 16, 1948. p. 25. Retrieved June 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "The US socialite who gave it all up to become a Carmelite nun". BBC News. June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
- ^ "Onetime SF Socialite Ann Miller, Who Left the City to Become a Nun 30 Years Ago, Dies at 92". SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports. June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
- ^ "The US Socialite Who Gave Up Her Wealth, Left Her Family To Become A Nun". NDTV.com. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
- ^ "Onetime SF Socialite Ann Miller". sfist.com. June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
- ^ O’Donnell, Maureen (June 8, 2021). "Sr. Mary Joseph of the Trinity, socialite who became 'kind of an unusual nun,' dead at 91". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved June 14, 2021.