Obituary of June Miller

June Schuh Miller, 99, formerly of Rochester, MN died April 24, 2024, at her assisted living facility in St Paul, MN. She is preceded in death by her husband, Glenn, a brother, Loran Schuh, ten sisters-in-law, nine brothers-in-law, and a niece. She is survived by daughter Kimerly (Stephen Brookfield) of St Paul, son Kevin (Patsy Shaughnessy) of Edina, grandchildren Sarah (Ben) Andreachi, Molly Brookfield (Gio Román-Torres), Colin Brookfield (Emma Petersen), Charlie Miller, great-grandchildren Daniel and Bettie Andreachi, and nieces and nephews across the U.S.

June Wenonah Schuh was born on August 1, 1924 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota although she grew up in her mother’s hometown, Winona. At the age of 19, she enlisted in the WAVES and was assigned to the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington, DC. Following her honorary discharge in 1946 she used the GI Bill to enroll in art school in Chicago where she met her husband. They were wed in Winona on June 14, 1947, and were married for over 74 years until Glenn’s death in 2022.

June and Glenn worked in interior design studios in Chicago and Minneapolis before moving to Rochester, MN in 1951 where they opened their own business - Glenn Miller Interiors. In addition to her own clients, June eventually opened a shop in the Kahler Hotel selling antiques and fine gifts, sometimes to celebrities and entertainers who were visiting the Mayo Clinic. Her artistic talents leant themselves to creative costumes for the Rochester Art Center’s annual Beaux Arts ball fundraisers, Christmas trees decorated for the Rochester Festival of Trees and a personal passion project, outfitting a doll house built by her father for her when she was in her 60s. As a mother she ran Brownie Scout meetings, chauffeured kids to ballet classes and hockey camps, saved for and planned many driving vacations across the country that sparked her children’s interest in travel. She and Glenn continued the tradition of road trips with their grandchildren in the 1990’s and 2000’s. She always loved to dance. As little June Schuh she tap danced on a local Winona radio station (!), was a founding member of the 1950s Soiree Dance Club in Rochester, participated in a Guinness Book of World Records group tap dance down Hennepin Avenue when she was in her 50s and even got up with her walker to jitterbug at the Wabasha Street Caves in St Paul.

She will be remembered by her family as a sociable, artistically creative mother, grandmother, and aunt who loved to entertain. Her dining table sparkled, especially during the holidays, with candles and her collections of tableware and decor. As a teenager, she ran for class vice-president and won (boys at the time were expected to be the class presidents), enrolled as the only girl in a architecture class, and defied her parents’ wishes to attend college to enlist in the Navy. Always proud of her military service, she joined her husband and children for an emotional anniversary commemoration at Glenn’s Pacific landing beaches and supported the development and construction of a veterans’ memorial in Rochester. Her granddaughters each wore one of her Navy uniforms for the memorial’s dedication. In her final year of life, she eagerly stood as a Navy vet for a performance of Anchors Aweigh at a Veterans’ Day concert.

Burial with military honors will be at Ft Snelling National Cemetery at 2:00PM on Friday, August 2, 2024. Attendees should gather at assembly area 2. As a lifelong recipient of the exceptional health care provided by the Mayo Clinic, memorials may be sent to philanthropy.mayoclinic.org/donateMC or in writing to Department of Development, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Arthur’s Senior Care facility in Roseville. Their compassionate support and care for June was unparalleled. They kept her comfortable and engaged and gave the family peace of mind that she was in a good place. Your kindness will never be forgotten. Thank you.