Clara Ilona Miller

Clara, 91, passed away peacefully at her home after a brief illness.

Clara was born in Budapest, Hungary, and raised by her grandparents. During World War II, she met her future husband, Steve Miller, in Germany. Clara came to the U.S. in 1947 from Hungary, and resided in New York with her mother.

On Nov. 8, 1952, she married Steve in New York City, New York. Steve was in the medical field, and served for over 25 years in the U.S. Air Force. His duty assignments led them to many locations in the U.S. until his retirement in 1966 in Naselle, Washington. The family moved to Astoria after his retirement, and have resided in the same home ever since.

Clara loved visiting with family and friends and enjoyed her cats. She had many hobbies, which included cooking Hungarian food, knitting afghans for the Lions Club and baby hats for Columbia Memorial Hospital. Her greatest passion was flower arranging and designing real and silk flowers for friends’ homes.

Clara was a member of the St. Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Church, and also a member of the Astoria Senior Center and the American Legion Auxiliary. She served as past president, historian and sponsor of the Eta Chapter of the Alpha Iota business sorority. Clara was preceded in death by her husband Steve Miller (1988); her father, Sandor Szilagyi (1985); her mother, Gizella Takacs (1999); and her brother, Sandor Szilagyi (1991). Clara is survived by her son, Bob Miller, and his family, of Salem, Oregon; her cousins, the Frank Gal family in New South Wales, Australia; and many close friends.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 29, 2017, at 11 a.m., at Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary, 1165 Franklin Ave., in Astoria, Oregon.

Private interment will be held at Ocean View Cemetery in Warrenton, Oregon.