Estella "Stella" Miller

Estella “Stella“ Miller passed away gracefully on August 27, 2024, with Rachel, Carrie and Nick by her side, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 71 years old. Most didn’t know she was going through this battle and that’s exactly how she wanted it. She drove herself to all her treatments and was full of positivity after every appointment. Very Stella!

Born Estella Gabriele Linda Blankenburg Chavez in Aschaffenburg, Germany on July 24, 1953, to Luis and Ruth Chavez. They lived in Germany for many years while Luis was stationed there. Their family left for the United States on the U.S.S Darby, first stationed at Fort Riley in Kansas, eventually finding themselves stationed at Fort Devens, making their home in Pepperell, MA.

Stella attended North MIddlesex Regional High School, where she met the love of her life, Christopher Collins Miller. They married on November 7, 1970, when they were just 17 and 19. They were happily married 45 years, when Chris passed away on August 29, 2015. After receiving her degree in accounting, at Fisher College, she started working in the accounting field, working for almost 30 years as the controller at Gate City Collision in Nashua, NH until their closure in 2022.

Stella loved life! Stella lived! She loved NASCAR, going to Loudon Raceway for every race. She traveled with Chris to Dover and Daytona to watch the races, she even had the opportunity to drive one of the cars! Stella loved musicals! She went to several with her daughters and granddaughters, her favorite being West Side Story. Her musical taste was as eclectic as she was, in recent years she saw Frankie Valli, Rod Stewart, Kenny Rogers, Duran Duran and Bruce Springsteen. Even after her diagnosis , she was willing to do anything, go anywhere! This past year she was able to celebrate her oldest granddaughter’s wedding. Where she stayed up later than everyone! In May of this year, she traveled to Chicago to see her youngest granddaughter graduate with her Masters degree. While she was there she visited Navy Pier and did the Sky Walk atop the John Hancock Building. The last week of July, to celebrate her birthday, she sailed on the Mount Washington on Lake Winnipesaukee with all her girls. And boy did mother love the slots! She used to say “ If you’re not max betting, you’re not betting” Foxwoods will miss her so…

Stella’s pride and joy was her family. She supported everyone’s highs and lows. She attended every event her daughters or granddaughters had. She never said no. Stella is survived by the world’s most okay-est daughters (obviously her kids are writing this, so we will mute down our praise) Rachel Erica Miller of Pepperell, MA and her companion Trevor Watson, Carrie Charlotte Parker of Townsend, MA and her husband SGT Nick Parker, whom she liked best out of all of us.

The true light of her lives are her granddaughters. They hung the moon in Grammy’s eyes: Darian Parker-Sardella and her husband Marcus of Wakefield, MA and Mackenzie Lovering of Myrtle Beach, SC.

We would be remiss, if we didn’t not mention her precious dog Sandy, who loved her and no one else. To the point where we could not enter her home, without mass chaos. Mother said she was the sweetest dog ever…her family begs to differ.

Stella also leaves her Texas family, her sister Beatrice Pirtle, Jeffrey and Angela Sadler and Jonathen, Erica, and Jameson Dooley. 

She leaves her brother-in-laws, Roger MIller and his wife Pam of Ashby, MA, Donald Miller and his wife Sheila of Townsend, MA, sister-in-laws Ruthellen Kellogg and her husband Keith of Meredith, NH and Heather MIller of Florida.

Her extended family spans from California to Germany. So many cousins, nieces, nephews and dear friends to count. She loved you all.

Stella requested no services, and we will honor that request. There will be a celebration of life at later date.

In lieu of flowers, consider a donation dear to her heart... the Make-a-Wish Foundation via:

Make-A-Wish America
1702 E. Highland Ave., Suite 400
Phoenix, AZ 85016 
www.wish.org