Linda Vincent-Miller

Linda Kay Vincent-Miller, wife of the late Fred Vincent-Miller and mother of Evan Vincent-Miller and longtime resident of Rockford, Illinois, died March 9, 2014 at the Catherine Kasper Life Center near Donaldson, Indiana. She was 63. The cause was complications from pneumonia.

She was a treasured sibling, loving wife, devoted mother, admired aunt, valued coworker, and a friend to many.

Linda was born on November 12, 1950 in Noblesville, Indiana, the daughter of Jerome and Mary Nolan Vincent, both now deceased. She attended Our Lady of Grace Elementary School and spent one year in the pre-novitiate program at St. Joseph’s Academy, Tipton, Indiana. She was an honors graduate of both Noblesville High School and Indiana University. Linda was a gifted pianist and for several years was the organist at Our Lady of Grace Church in Noblesville. The oldest daughter in a family of ten siblings, she was both caregiver and big sister to her younger brothers and sisters, especially after their father’s sudden death in 1966. She was always attentive to their needs. More than once, after graduation from college, Linda organized vacations for her mother and younger siblings to sites like Myrtle Beach and New Hampshire.

Her studies at Indiana University completed, Linda taught one year in the public schools before she put her math skills to work in a twenty year career with Aetna Insurance at their Fort Wayne, Indiana and Rockford, Illinois offices. She and Frederick Henry Miller were married in Rockford on March 7, 1981. She gave birth to the joy of her life, son Evan, on February 10, 1983 and also helped care for her older stepchildren Lynn, Rick and Gary. Linda and Fred had an active life together and enjoyed bowling and camping and simply visiting with family and friends. During this time Linda was a member of Alpine Lutheran Church in Rockford and participated in its Hand Bell Choir. She was an avid reader and loved to dabble in various arts and crafts.

Disabled by a stroke in 1996, Linda’s life took a sudden turn, but her courage, tenacity and joy of living in the face of great adversity were an inspiration to many. Her husband Fred accompanied her on this journey and provided loving care for her until his own death in 2005. Throughout this time Linda’s brother, Stephen Vincent, spent countless hours caring for Linda’s needs as her legal advocate and financial guardian. All of Linda’s sisters and brothers and extended family rallied around her in a variety of ways. During her final years, she resided and received excellent care at Catherine Kasper Life Center near Donaldson, Indiana, a skilled nursing ministry of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, a Catholic religious order. It was a particular blessing that a sister, Anne Pilarski, is a nurse at the facility and was able to provide special care to Linda throughout these years. The family is forever grateful for the staff at Catherine Kasper Life Center for their compassion throughout the final years of Linda’s life. Linda spent those years doing the many things she enjoyed: watching movies, shopping, distributing candy to one and all, strolling the grounds, visiting with family and friends. She developed great skills as an artist and she was a force to be reckoned with playing dominoes. She especially loved her family’s raucous gatherings and reunions. She communicated with the simple point of a finger and an infectious laugh. And she taught us all how to love and be loved.

Linda is survived by her son, Evan Vincent-Miller and significant other, Johanna Bennett, Carmichael, California; stepdaughter Lynn Dieterman, Rockford, Illinois; stepsons Richard Miller, Tarpon Springs, Florida, and Gary Miller, Evanston, Illinois; two sisters, Anne Pilarski, Culver, Indiana and Mary Jeanne Vincent, Noblesville, Indiana; seven brothers, Joe (Claudette) Vincent, Salem, Oregon, Richard (Susan) Vincent, Noblesville, David (Lynda) Lamarre-Vincent, Concord, New Hampshire, Michael (Linda) Vincent, Cool Ridge, West Virginia, Stephen Vincent, Iowa City, Iowa, Paul (Tania) Vincent, Beaverton, Oregon, and Mark (Becky) Vincent, Bettendorf, Iowa; beloved aunts, Anne Vincent and Esther Vincent, both of Concord, New Hampshire; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and other family.

Two services will be held. A celebration of her life will be held at the Catherine Kasper Life Center Chapel, 9601 Union Road, Donaldson, IN, 46513, 2:00 pm EDT, Thursday, March13. A memorial service will be held Friday, March 14 at Mulford Chapel, Fitzgerald Funeral Home, 1860 South Mulford Rd., Rockford, IL, 61108. Visitation at 1:30pm with service to follow at 2:30 pm CDT. Leave condolences and read a full obituary at www.johnson-danielson.com. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donation be made to the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ and earmarked for the “Art with Marge Program” and mailed to the PHJC Development Office, PO Box 1, Donaldson, IN, 46513.