Kristin Dawn Miller

Kristin Dawn Miller, 53, of Milwaukie, Oregon, passed away peacefully with her family at her side, January 10, 2024. Kristin was born December 7, 1970, in Pendleton, Oregon to Nancy Pettyjohn Miller and the late, George W. Miller. She spent her early years on the families' ranches in Eastern Oregon near Condon and Ione. Although disabled by Cerebral Palsy, Kristin attended school at Ione where her classmates' invented activities that she could participate in. She was loved and an inspiration to everyone. She learned to read and developed ways to communicate although her disabilities left her speechless and with limited mobility.

She moved to West Linn and joined the Albertina Kerr family continuing her schooling at Lake Oswego Junior High School and Senior High School. As Kerr grew and developed, she was moved to one of their new group homes in SE Portland and finished high school, graduating from Madison High School. She took classes of her interests at Mt. Hood Community College and worked closely with United Cerebral Palsy of Oregon and the Easter Seal Society of Oregon who assisted her in developing jobs that fitted her needs. At one time she was immensely proud to be working at three different jobs.

All her life the Easter Seal Society played a leading role in providing her with several of her greatest pleasures. She loved Camp Easter Seals and began attending at the age of 4 and continued through many administration changes including change over to Kiwanis Clubs of Oregon and Upward Bound, only ending with the Covid shutdown. Another love was Special Olympics, and she was an avid and incredibly competitive participant in their track meets and bowling tournaments with trophies, ribbons, and a shoe box full of medals to prove it. She also was a huge Portland Trail Blazers fan and held season tickets for many years.

She loved parties, especially hosting them. She would plan them and convince her staff of caregivers that they should help her!

She had many loves, but her greatest was her family and friends. She rarely missed a family celebration of any kind. She was a flower girl for her Aunt Marianne, a bridesmaid for her sister, Kara. Her generosity at Christmas was legendary, especially with her nieces and nephews. She shared a love of travel with family and visited the Oregon Coast many times, Disneyland several times and Disney World and Hawaii with family then ventured to Las Vegas with her friend Latoya. Japan was on her bucket list, but health and physical disabilities finally prevented that.

She is survived by her mother, Nancy Lee Miller; stepfather, Bill Monagle; brother, Justin Miller (Nicole, Payton, Piper, and Rhett); sister, Kara Gentry (Mike, Kadence, Madison, and Colton); stepbrother, Dennis Monagle (Andrea, Devin, Claire, and Abbie); special friend, Gregg; aunts and uncles, Marianne Sharp, Patricia Kayser, Mavis Olsen (Bob), Darla King (Bob), Sheri Fraser, Sondra Wilson and Don Holzman; many cousins; and dear friends.

She was an inspiration and a friend to all, and her passing has left a huge hole in our hearts, we will miss her greatly.

A Memorial Service will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, February 17, 2024 at Stehn Family Chapels Milwaukie Tribute Center, Milwaukie, Oregon followed by a Cemetery Service, 11:00 a.m., Saturday, February 24, 2024 at High View Cemetery, Ione, Oregon.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contribution in her memory be made to Albertina Kerr Foundation, Oregon United Cerebral Palsy or Oregon Special Olympics.