Mary Katherine Barnes Miller

Mary Katharine Barnes Miller was born Oct. 8, 1913, in Buckhannon, West Virginia, the daughter of Otho Herbert Barnes and Cora Anne Miller Barnes. She passed away peacefully of age related causes while under 24-hour care in her Village Senior Residence apartment in Missoula, on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 23, 2014. Mary Katharine was preceded in death by her parents; a brother Otho Russell Barnes; a sister Virginia Lee Barnes and her husband, Carroll E. Miller.

Mary Katharine was the 30th International President of the General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC) and the theme of her tenure was, "Sea to Shining Sea – Unity." She resided at the GFWC Headquarters in Washington, DC from 1974-1976. At the time of Mary Katharine's presidency, the GFWC was the largest organization of women volunteers in the world. It currently has over 100, 000 members in affiliated clubs in every state and more than 20 countries and territories. The General Federation of Women's Clubs was founded in 1890 and Chartered by the 56th United States Congress in 1901.

For 25 years Mary Katharine was employed by the Myers Remedy Company (Modern Drugs, Inc.) of Philippi, West Virginia. She resigned her position as office manager for this company in 1958 to become the first woman executive assistant and public relations representative for the West Virginia State Insurance Department in Charleston, West Virginia. Later she was associated with Advertising, Inc., a Charleston public relations firm. For 10 years she also held a second position as a news reporter for the Clarksburg Telegram and Clarksburg Exponent newspapers in Clarksburg, West Virginia.

She was also very active in community affairs: Life Member, Women's Club of Charleston, WV; Organizing Regent, John Minear Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Philippi; DAR WV State Recording Secretary; DAR National Vice Chairman; 1958-60 President, WV Federation of Women's Clubs; Including her 1974-76 presidency, she was a GFWC board member from 1960-1978; 1966 chairman, Public Affairs, GFWC; chairman, Crusade for Light, GFWC; 1976-78 recording secretary, GFWC; Life Member, Woman's Club of Missoula. In 1976 she was recognized as DAR Daughter of the Year by the West Virginia Society of Washington, DC.

In 1963, Mary Katharine married Carroll E. Miller, a longtime high school chemistry teacher in Missoula. She resided in Missoula from 1963 until her death, except for the two years when she held the GFWC International Presidency in Washington, DC. Carroll died in 1990, just a few months after they had moved to the new Village Senior Residence retirement facility.

For 15 years Mary Katharine also worked five days each week as an administrative volunteer at the Community Medical Center, a local Missoula hospital. When she retired, she had contributed over 6, 500 hours of volunteer time.

Mary Katharine was a major supporter of the Missoula Children's Theatre and donated funds in memory of her husband, Carroll. She also created an endowment fund in memory of her husband for the Missoula International Choral Festival, founded by the Mendelssohn Club, in which her husband was a charter member.

No challenge was too large or two small for Mary Katharine. After her father's death in 1930, she provided the major support for her mother and her younger sister, which continued until their deaths. Against almost insurmountable odds, she went from being the family's primary breadwinner as a young girl, to the International Presidency of one of the largest women's organizations in the world — the General Federation of Women's Clubs.

Mary Katharine Barnes Miller was the last of her immediate family. She leaves a number of distant cousins around the U.S. as well as numerous friends across Montana, West Virginia and America. She loved her trips to the Eckstrom's Stage Station Restaurant on Rock Creek east of Missoula where she and her husband used to go fishing. She especially treasured The Village Senior Residence staff who provided a home for her for so many years, and she was particularly appreciative of the Hospice of Missoula and Village personnel who cared for her so tenderly during her final weeks.

Mary Katharine's longevity can be attributed to her long daily walks and her special relationship with God. She maintained a lengthy prayer list of those she held in continuous prayer. Prayer remained her mission in life as her physical abilities became increasingly limited. Her favorite hymn was HOW GREAT THOU ART "… in gratitude for the blessings I have enjoyed from God over the years …"

At Mary Katharine's request, there will be no local memorials and her ashes will be interred in the family plot at the Old Heavner Cemetery in Buckhannon, West Virginia on Saturday, June 7 at 10:30 a.m. A public graveside service will be held at that time with a reception following at the 88 Restaurant, 88 E. Main St., Buckhannon.

Arrangements are under the care of Livingston-Malletta and Geraghty Funeral Home of Missoula and Poling-St. Clair Funeral Home of Buckhannon.
Read Mary Miller's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.