Sharon Lynn Miller of Manchester, Conn., Moultonboro, N.H., and Martha’s Vineyard died peacefully and with full intention at her home, surrounded by the love of family and friends on Tuesday, May 16, 2016. She was 76.
Born in Hartford, Conn., on June 24, 1942, to Florence and Paul Jones. Sharon was a force to be reckoned with. She came into this world ready to embrace life to its fullest. Being the second born of six, she mastered mothering at an early age, and loved providing nurturance and support to all who knew her. Emotionally available and transparently honest, Sharon was gifted in helping connect and inspire people. Her heart was grand, and she was willing to share it with many.
Skilled in the art of sales and management, she had a successful career in real estate, and later retired to New Hampshire with her husband Will. In New Hampshire, she enjoyed spending time with close friends, boating, participating in book clubs, and hosting and attending dinner parties. Over the years she gave back to her community by teaching catechism, offering counsel, matchmaking, and later volunteering as a child advocate for the CASA program in New Hampshire.
Sharon had a strong internal guidance system and adventurous spirit that led her to explore life with exuberance and play. At the young age of 6, she would take a bus, alone, into Hartford to go to the cinema. Later, as a teenager, she could be seen driving her Jeep around Manchester in lieu of attending classes. Throughout her life, she loved art, music, and dancing, movies, books, cooking, going to the beach, skiing, and playing games of all sorts. Never one for losing, she was fiercely competitive when playing cards. When grandchildren entered her life, she turned her full attention to them, and cherished sharing her home at Lake Winnipesaukee with the grandchildren, family, and friends. Later in her life, she joined her daughters and their families to live on Martha’s Vineyard.
Sharon is survived by her four children, Rebecca Miller (Matthew Dix) of Chilmark; Michele Dupon of Oak Bluffs; Christopher (Aimy) Miller of Tolland, Conn.; and Timothy (Sara) of Atlanta, Ga. Nine grandchildren survive Sharon as well, Jessica, Zachary, and Isabelle Dupon, Sadie, Ruby, and Joshua Dix, Mckenna and Erika Miller, and Ayla Nan Miller. Her five siblings, Barbara Arsenault, Jennifer Pescatello, Gary Jones, Paula Bsullak, and Shane Jones, and brother-in-law Robert Miller, also survive her. Sharon’s mother, father, and husband, Will Miller, preceded her in death.
“For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?/ And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?”
—Kahlil Gibran.
A celebration of Sharon’s life will be held on Saturday, June 4, from 1 to 3 pm at Cavey’s Restaurant at 45 East Center Street in Manchester, Conn. Please bring any photos and stories to share. Donations in Sharon’s memory may be made to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard: hospiceofmv.org.