“It's just unreal,” she would often say. She'd say that about a plan to build a mall at Arundel Mills or the bill that would result from one of her cat's encounters with a raccoon. She raised a family and had a full career.

Alvera and her father ran a building and loan in Raynor Heights for many years. Her involvement in the community continued after her marriage and move to Jessup in 1949. Both the semi-rural community of Jessup and the shy newlywed would change dramatically over the decades.

The Army at Fort Meade employed Alvera as a secretary in her early years and as a budget analyst as she closed in on retirement. Her budget analyst position moved to Fort Holabird in the early 1970s and she retired in 1973.

She became a major participant in the Jessup Volunteer Fire Department, serving on its Board of Directors for many years and was awarded the title of Secretary Emeritus, and in its Ladies Auxiliary and currently held the office of President. She handled the fire department’s annual mail out drive every year. She was very active outside of the Jessup Volunteer Fire Department as well. She held all of the Chairs in the Ladies Auxiliary of the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighters Association and served as President in 1962-1963. She currently was serving as the Parliamentarian and was awarded the title of Parliamentarian Emeritus. She was inducted into the LAAACVFA Hall of Fame in 1994. She was very active on the state level in the Ladies Auxiliary of the Maryland State Firemen's Association, having served in all of the Chairs and serving as President 1965-1966. She was inducted into the LAMSFA Hall of Fame in 2002. She currently was serving as the Chairman of the Judges and Tellers Committee.

She was a delegate to the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighter’s Association meetings and didn’t miss many. She was inducted in the Association Hall of Fame in September 2000. Alvera was a member you could always turn to for advice and help to get the job done. She was an extremely knowledgeable person.

Alvera was a pivotal member of the Jessup Improvement Association, serving as the President chairing its meetings and organizing the monthly Pancake Breakfast—an event eagerly anticipated by many inside and outside the community. The last Pancake Breakfast of the summer was an opportunity for political officeholders to don aprons and wait on customers. Who else could pull that off?

She participated in the VFW and the Ladies Club of Jessup, organized legendary bus trips, and bowled in many leagues over the years, both duckpins and tenpins. She managed to pack an awful lot of living into her 84 years.

Alvera is survived by her husband, Joseph “Buddy” Miller of Jessup, MD; two sons, Albert Miller of Annandale, VA and Joseph Miller, Jr. of North Linthicum, MD; two granddaughters, Alexandra and Maxanna Miller, and her sister, June (Bendix) Ulrich of Kingsville, MD.

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Alvera Miller, longtime Jessup activist, dies

'Mom did a whole lot of living in her 84 years'

By MARIE TAYLOR, For the Maryland Gazette

Published 01/08/11

 A prominent member of the Jessup community died on New Year’s Day, but her legacy lives on.

For over a half a century, Alvera miller dedicated her life to her God, her family and her neighbors in what was once a small, semi-rural community lying on the far western end of Anne Arundel County.

Both Jessup and the shy young woman would change dramatically over those decades. Active in civic, social and religious organizations, Miller made it her life’s goal to preserve the quality of life for the citizens of Jessup.

“Growing up was different for my brother and me,” said Albert Miller of Annandale, VA, her son. “My parents were always busy doing something for the community. My grandmother used to say,  “She’s got no rest in her behind.’”

“Mom did a whole lot of living in her 84 years.”

Miller, who was a native Marylander, moved to Jessup in 1949. She worked as a secretary and budget analyst for the Army at Fort George G. Meade until her retirement in 1974. Retirement for her, though, did not mean resting in past accomplishments – volunteer service became her full-time job.

Miller was a pivotal member of the Jessup Improvement Association for many years. She served as its president, chairing meetings and organizing events, including the monthly breakfast – an event eagerly anticipated by many inside and outside the community. The group’s pancake breakfasts were very important to her.

“It was very important that everything, including the tables and chairs, be just right,” Albert said. “During Wednesday night’s prayer service, Father Victor told us that ‘She is sitting at the table of the Lord,’ and I thought to myself – that table better be set correctly.”

In addition to her work with the JIA, Miller spent more than 50 years working with the Jessup Volunteer Fire Department, where her husband, Buddy, was a volunteer firefighter. She joined the Ladies Auxiliary and held every office several times, serving as its president for the past 41 years. She served on the Board of Directors and, this past fall, was given the title Secretary Emeritus.

Those who worked closely with her in the community said they have fond thoughts of a women described as a force to be reckoned with when it came to protecting Jessup.

“Alvera was a dynamic lady who spent her life finding ways to improve the quality of life for her neighbors, “ said Del. Ted Sophocleus, a former county councilman for the area. I visited her while she was at the Hospice of the Chesapeake’s Tate House. She asked me about the status of improvements for Route 175 and I thought to myself here’s a lady who is taking her last breaths, and she is still worried about her neighborhood. That is the kind of woman she was – always concerned about others.

Throughout the years, she received many awards and citations, including Citizen of the Year, induction into Jessup’s Hall of Fame and, most recently, the prestigious Honey Award from the Maryland State Firemen’s Association.

“Alvera was compassionate, honest and sincere. She believed in getting the job done while being both fun-loving and serious,” said Dana Herbert, JIA secretary. “The best way we can honor her is to continue her work.”

But her family said there was a fun side to her life, too. She loved bowling, taking part n three leagues until last spring. And she and her husband enjoyed the popular local beer garden.

“Our mom knew how to have fun, too,” Albert said, “Every Friday and Saturday night you could find our parents at  Blob’s Park dancing the polka.”

In addition to her husband and son Albert, she is survived by another son, Joseph Miller, Jr. of Linthicum.