Patricia Miller

Patricia Dian Miller, beloved mother, grandmother, and passionate educator, passed away peacefully at her home on Monday, November 24, 2025, at the age of 86. Born Patricia Dian Ostrander on September 22, 1939, in San Bernardino, California, she was the daughter of Florence Agnes Knickerbocker and Robert Charles Ostrander. She spent her early childhood years in Big Bear Lake, California, and later resided at the Masonic Children’s Home in Covina, California, through her high school years—an experience that instilled in her a strong sense of resilience and independence that defined her life’s journey. A committed lifelong learner, Patricia earned her degree from the University of Wyoming and went on to a fulfilling career as a dedicated Social Studies teacher at Jeffery City High School. To instill the importance of civic duty, she organized a yearly field trip to Cheyenne, so her students could see firsthand Wyoming’s state government at work. She inspired her students with her genuine interest in history and civics. Patricia was an intellectual who loved a spirited debate and was fueled by her passions for reading, current events, and travel. She could often be found with a book in her hand or watching her favorite game shows, always ready to test her knowledge. She married the love of her life, John Franklin Miller, a proud U.S. Marine WWII Veteran, on December 26, 1974. They shared many wonderful years traveling the world until John’s passing in 1997. Patricia is survived by her loving children: daughter Cathy and her husband Tim Raver of Thayne, Wyoming; and son Arthur and his wife Anne Baures of Sheridan, Wyoming. She was a devoted grandmother to seven grandchildren: Chelsea, Travis, Trenton, Avery, Aaron, Adam, and Aislyn, and a proud great-grandmother to five great-grandchildren: Tristan, Aurora, Grant, Grey, and James. The family wishes to express their profound gratitude to the many employees, volunteers, and friends in the Sheridan community—including EMS, Sheridan Memorial Hospital and Primary Care, The Hub, Busy Bees, American Maids, and her kind neighbors—whose support and dedication allowed Patricia to remain comfortably in her cherished home. A graveside service will be held at Willow Grove Cemetery in Buffalo, Wyoming, on Tuesday, December 16, at 2:00 PM, followed by a celebration of life in Buffalo. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The Hub on Smith, Meals on Wheels, 211 Smith St., Sheridan WY 82801, or The Food Group, P.O. Box 6702, Sheridan, WY 82801. Online condolences may be made to www.sheridanfuneral.com. Arrangements are under the care of Sheridan Funeral Home.