Mary Rita Engelhorn Miller's Obituary
Mary Rita “Marita” Engelhorn Miller, a native of New Orleans, passed from this life on Friday, July 8, 2022, at the age of 97. Marita was born to the late Hollis Engelhorn and Elsie Anna Morgan on August 15, 1924. She was preceded in death by her husband Gerard John Miller, Sr. and brothers Vernon Peter Paul Engelhorn and Edward Ronald Engelhorn. Marita graduated from St. Stephen Catholic School in New Orleans, LA. She worked for the United States Department of Agriculture and the Veterans Administration before retiring in 1978. Marita lived most of her life in Metairie. She was a long-time parishioner at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church.
She was an avid parade-goer - no matter the weather or temperature. Marita loved the pageantry and spectacle of Mardi Gras in Jefferson Parish. She carefully chronicled the quantity and quality of floats, marching bands, costumes, and more, offering detailed reviews of each parade to her family and friends. She devoted many hours producing flower canes for marchers in the Metairie Road St. Patrick Day’s Parade, Louisiana Irish-Italian Parade, Italian American Club, and numerous other Mardi Gras walking clubs. She felt a great sense of pride in contributing to making the day special for all the marchers, riders, and spectators.
Marita was a gifted seamstress. She would often invest her time and talent creating costumes for her grandchildren, designing elaborate outfits for the dolls in her prized collection, or simply mending a well-loved toy.
Marita’s abilities to sniff out deals at garage sales and thrift stores were uncanny. Throughout her time in Metairie, and even after moving to Texas, she took great joy in hunting for a good bargain or a time-honored treasure in need of restoration.
Marita spent her later years in Frisco, Texas near her son Gerry and wife Cathy, and her final years in Mandeville with her daughter Beverly.
Marita lived life to the fullest. She was incredibly proud of her family and her community. She was known to tease her grandkids, but beneath every little bit of ribbing, there was a life lesson hidden underneath. Her wisdom knew no bounds.
She is survived by her daughter Beverly Glynn and son Gerard John “Gerry” Miller, Jr. (Catherine); four grandchildren - Holly Baker (Andy) of Metairie, Brandon Prevost of Mandeville, Gerry Miller (Lori) of Frisco, Texas, and Kyle Miller (Kari) of Madison, Mississippi; and six great-grandchildren - Gerry, Benjamin, Zachary, Reese, Isabella, and Ian.
A private family memorial service will be held at a later date.
The family would like to express their gratitude to the doctors, nurses and staff of Lakeview Regional Medical Center, Heritage Manor of Mandeville, and St. Catherine’s Hospice of La Place, LA. Their kind, professional, and personal care that aided our mother in her final days was amazing and above all expectations.
E.J. Fielding Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. Please sign the E.J. Fielding Funeral Home online Guest Book at www.ejfieldingfh.com.
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