Ella was born February 26, 1921 in Hampton, VA to Fred P. & Ella (Davis) Miller II. Her father was a lifer in the US Army Air Corp and Ella lived in several states and territories of the US including California, Delaware, Illinois and Hawaii. She graduated from Belleville [Illinois] High School, class of 1939 and received a degree in Education from the University of Southern Illinois in 1943. At SIU, she was a member of the Pi Kappa Sigma sorority.
In 1946, Ella met and married Glenn Aston-Reese, when he was stationed at Scott Field during WWII and moved with him to the Pittsburgh, PA area. There she taught in several elementary schools and would continue to teach off and on for several years thereafter. She started her family in 1947 and, after moving several times, finally settled just outside of Pittsburgh in Crafton. She lived in Crafton until moving to Ishpeming in 2001.
In Crafton, she was very energetic in civic affairs and, as President of the Crafton Civic Club, helped to initiate such programs such as "Operation Spruce Up", which planted flowers all over the town every Spring. She was an original member of "Crafton Celebrates", which was a committee first formed for the celebration of the Bi-centennial but which continues to this day as Crafton's annual 4th of July gala. She was active in The Heart Foundation. She was a member of the Crafton Methodist Church and she enjoyed manning their Crafton Celebrates "funnel cake" booth every year. She was also a Past Worthy-Matron of the North Hills Chapter #526 Order of the Eastern Star and a member of the Carnegie Assembly #80 Social Order of the Beauceant. It should also be noted that Ella was an early advocate of the woman's and civil rights issues that swept this nation in the 50's and 60's and that she was unwavering in her belief that all people were equal before both God and the law.
She loved reading and traveling and visited several European countries. In 1976, for her 55th birthday, she was able to return to her beloved Hawaii for two weeks. She was a lifelong collector of antiques and had a particular eye and fondness for Cobalt blue glass. Later in life, she was content to curl up with a good mystery novel or a crossword puzzle. She'd be nestled in her comfy chair surrounded by the pictures of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren while CNN or Turner Classic Movies played in the background.
Ella is the beloved mother of: Glenn (Nancy) Aston-Reese Jr. of Washington, PA, David (Elli) Aston-Reese of Saugerties, NY, Elyse (Peter) Bertucci of Ishpeming and William (Carolyn) Aston-Reese of Staten Island, NY, beloved grandmother of: Todd (Brooke) Aston-Reese of Pittsburgh, PA, Kristen Aston-Reese, William Aston-Reese II, Zachary Aston-Reese of Staten Island and Ella Bertucci of Ishpeming, great grandchildren; Jocelyn Aston-Reese and Reagan Aston-Reese, a sister Shirley Mortimer of Virden, IL, a brother Fred P. (Odette) Miller III of Fort Walton Beach, FL and a nephew and great nephew in Virden, IL.
Private family services will be held at a later date, inurnment will take place in the Ishpeming Cemetery.
Ella was born February 26, 1921 in Hampton, VA to Fred P. & Ella (Davis) Miller II. Her father was a lifer in the US Army Air Corp and Ella lived in several states and territories of the US including California, Delaware, Illinois and Hawaii. She graduated from Belleville [Illinois] High School, class of 1939 and received a degree in Education from the University of Southern Illinois in 1943. At SIU, she was a member of the Pi Kappa Sigma sorority.
In 1946, Ella met and married Glenn Aston-Reese, when he was stationed at Scott Field during WWII and moved with him to the Pittsburgh, PA area. There she taught in several elementary schools and would continue to teach off and on for several years thereafter. She started her family in 1947 and, after moving several times, finally settled just outside of Pittsburgh in Crafton. She lived in Crafton until moving to Ishpeming in 2001.
In Crafton, she was very energetic in civic affairs and, as President of the Crafton Civic Club, helped to initiate such programs such as "Operation Spruce Up", which planted flowers all over the town every Spring. She was an original member of "Crafton Celebrates", which was a committee first formed for the celebration of the Bi-centennial but which continues to this day as Crafton's annual 4th of July gala. She was active in The Heart Foundation. She was a member of the Crafton Methodist Church and she enjoyed manning their Crafton Celebrates "funnel cake" booth every year. She was also a Past Worthy-Matron of the North Hills Chapter #526 Order of the Eastern Star and a member of the Carnegie Assembly #80 Social Order of the Beauceant. It should also be noted that Ella was an early advocate of the woman's and civil rights issues that swept this nation in the 50's and 60's and that she was unwavering in her belief that all people were equal before both God and the law.
She loved reading and traveling and visited several European countries. In 1976, for her 55th birthday, she was able to return to her beloved Hawaii for two weeks. She was a lifelong collector of antiques and had a particular eye and fondness for Cobalt blue glass. Later in life, she was content to curl up with a good mystery novel or a crossword puzzle. She'd be nestled in her comfy chair surrounded by the pictures of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren while CNN or Turner Classic Movies played in the background.
Ella is the beloved mother of: Glenn (Nancy) Aston-Reese Jr. of Washington, PA, David (Elli) Aston-Reese of Saugerties, NY, Elyse (Peter) Bertucci of Ishpeming and William (Carolyn) Aston-Reese of Staten Island, NY, beloved grandmother of: Todd (Brooke) Aston-Reese of Pittsburgh, PA, Kristen Aston-Reese, William Aston-Reese II, Zachary Aston-Reese of Staten Island and Ella Bertucci of Ishpeming, great grandchildren; Jocelyn Aston-Reese and Reagan Aston-Reese, a sister Shirley Mortimer of Virden, IL, a brother Fred P. (Odette) Miller III of Fort Walton Beach, FL and a nephew and great nephew in Virden, IL.
Private family services will be held at a later date, inurnment will take place in the Ishpeming Cemetery.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
See more Aston-Reese or Miller memorials in:
- Ishpeming Cemetery Aston-Reese or Miller
- Ishpeming Aston-Reese or Miller
- Marquette County Aston-Reese or Miller
- Michigan Aston-Reese or Miller
- USA Aston-Reese or Miller
- Find a Grave Aston-Reese or Miller
Advertisement