Janet L. (Beyersdorf) Miller entered into eternal rest on May 20, 2015. She passed away peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by her family at Evergreen Health Care in Stafford Springs. She was born on January 19, 1930 in La Romana, Dominican Republic. Daughter of the late Frederick and Valborg (Boisen) Beyersdorf. She was predeceased by her husband, Richard E. Miller to whom she had been married to for 51 years and her grandson, Christopher T. Miller. After growing up in La Romana she came to Bryant College in Providence, Rhode Island where she met her husband and graduated from secretarial school. They lived in Hartford, Enfield, eventually settling down in Somers for many years. Janet worked at Sage-Allen department store for 24 years as a supervisor and buyer. She enjoyed her time as a seasonal resident of San Juan, Puerto Rico and Cedar Island in Clinton. She loved gardening, shopping, going to the casinos and playing dominoes with friends and family. She had several pen pals who she had been writing to since the age of 13, and over the years she finally met many of them, creating long, bonding friendships. Most of all she enjoyed the times spent with her children and grandchildren. Janet is survived by three sons, R. Bryant Miller and his wife, Joan, of Longmeadow, MA, Kevin Miller and Holly Phelps of Stonington, Bruce Miller and his wife, Maria, of Stamford and a daughter, Karen Cruz and her husband, Marvin, of Gales Ferry; her grandchildren, Madeline, Harry, Andrew, Ricky, James and Juliana, and her lifelong friend Janet Monteith. The family thanks the staff at Evergreen for their superior care and support. Her funeral service will be held on Wednesday, May 27 at 11 a.m. at Somers Funeral Home, 354 Main Street, Somers. Burial will follow at Somers Center Cemetery. Her family will receive friends on Tuesday, May 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home. It was Janet's request that we all come dressed as we would for the "Islands". Memorial donations may be made to "The Christopher T. Miller Fund" c/o FCCF, 383 Main Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851, or the Shriners Hospital 516 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104. For online expressions of sympathy or for directions, please visit us at www.somersfuneralhome.com


[Published in The Hartford Courant from May 23 to May 24, 2015]