Gladys Ellis Pape Miller passed away in Mount Vernon, WA on Monday, July 14, 2003.

She was born in Concrete, WA on April 23, 1908, the daughter of James L. Pape and Grace Boyd Pape.

She was a lifetime mem-ber of the Presbyterian Church, baptized in the old log Mount Baker Presbyterian Church in Concrete.

She grew up and attended schools in the Hamilton area. In 1928 she married Charles Robert Reece in Sedro-Woolley, they had one child, a daughter, Charlene. For a few years they lived and were employed in Seattle. In 1936 they moved back to Skagit Valley and made their home at Van Horn. He was employed with the Superior Portland Cement Co. and she was a telephone operator for Skagit Telephone and Telegraph (owned locally by Stowe and Judy). Charles left the area, but Gladys was employed as a telephone operator for many years maintaining her home and raising her daughter in Concrete.

In 1948 Gladys married Magnus F. Miller. He was recalled into the Navy for the Korean War. They spent two years in San Francisco where Gladys worked at the jewelry counter on the Navy Base at Treasure Island. When they returned to Concrete she worked for a short time at the telephone office and began getting involved in civic affairs.

She helped organize the Rural Fire Dept., served as president of The Upper Skagit Garden Club and later as district director of Chuckanut Garden Clubs and on the Washington State Federation Garden Board. She was active in and a lifetime member of the Skagit Historical Society at the time the museum was built in the La Conner Water Tank. She was a member of the Charles Carroll Chapter of DAR in Sedro -Woolley.

In 1968 the cement plant, (then Lone Star Cement) closed in Concrete and the Miller's moved to Seattle where Mr. Miller was general foreman at the Duwamish plant.

Gladys became active in the Mary Morris Chapter and was elected regent and a member of the Rainier Chapter, DAR.  She and Magnus formed a block watch on Gatewood Hill in the 37th SW block. For nine years Gladys served as state historian of The Mayflower Society.  She was a life member of the Mayflower Descendants, an eleventh generation descendant of Richard Warren. She attended Hillcrest Presbyterian Church in West Seattle.

She moved to Mount Vernon in 1999 to be close to family after Magnus passed away.

She is survived by her daughter, Charlene LaFleur-Bronson and a granddaughter Kathleen La Fleur-Crowe and her husband David Crowe, all of Mount Vernon, numerous nieces and nephews, especially James H. Pape and close friends here, and her neighbors in the West Seattle neighborhood.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Grace and James Pape; husband, Magnus F. Miller; sisters: Hazel O'Hara and Corrine Robinson; brothers: Carl, Ralph, James and Eugene Pape; also her first husband, Charles Reece.

We celebrated her 95th Birthday this year. By her request there will be no funeral services.  She will be inurned in Forest Park Cemetery in Concrete in a private family ceremony.

Memorials may be given to Skagit County Historical Museum, P.O. Box 818 La Conner, WA 98257 or Ladies Auxiliary, Heskett-Arnold American Legion Post #132, 45952 Main St. Concrete, WA 98237 or a charity of your choice.

Arrangements are under the care of Kern Funeral Home, Mount Vernon.

GOD SAW