BU bids farewell to ‘Sister Joan’

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This article was published 11/02/2021 (1850 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brandon University lowered its flag to half-mast last Friday to mourn the loss of Joan Miller, who died on Feb. 1 at the age of 87.

According to a Wednesday news release from the university, Miller’s career as a member of BU spanned over three decades, beginning in 1979 and eventually coming to an end in 2012.

Dean of music Greg Gatien said in this release that Miller, also known as “Sister Joan,” was a huge presence in the Westman music community during her time with BU’s School of Music and will be sorely missed by all her colleagues.

“It was a deep pleasure to work with Sister Joan from my arrival at Brandon University until her retirement,” said Gatien. “She was warm and welcoming to my wife and me, she was a wonderful colleague on every committee, and she was a great role model for me as a junior member of our faculty.”

Miller was born in Radville, Sask., in 1933 and grew up in a family of five.

After moving to Regina, Miller began taking music lessons at age six and, with some encouragement from her father Joseph, began practising daily.

Once she graduated from Sacred Heart Academy, Miller enrolled in the Sisters of our Lady of the Missions as a postulant and eventually pronounced her vows on July 26, 1954.

From there, the newly minted Sister Joan began her career in education by teaching kindergarten in Saskatoon and would eventually return to Sacred Heart Academy to continue down this path.

As her career in education moved forward, Miller always took the time to develop her own musical prowess, receiving many diplomas, awards and even a PhD in music from Indiana University.

Gatien revealed that Miller also applied this tireless dedication to personal and professional development during her time as an associate professor at BU.

“She was a devoted person in all aspects of her life, including to her students, and she was tireless in teaching, in adjudicating at festivals, and in examinations,” he said.

Miller’s love of music persisted well into her later years, even after health issues forced her to move into Regina’s Santa Maria Senior Citizens Home.

In late 2019, the retired BU professor got a big surprise after she was reunited with her old Steinway grand piano, which was reassembled in the facility’s chapel area for her to play.

“I’ve been in heaven ever since,” Miller told CBC News in December of that year. “It just speaks to me.”

Even in the wake of her passing, BU officials reminded the public on Wednesday that Miller’s legacy will continue to be immortalized through the school’s Dr. Joan Miller Scholarship-Bursary in Classical Piano. This scholarship is awarded to classical piano performance students in either the master’s program or a continuing student in the bachelor’s program.

Gatien told the Sun on Wednesday that this academic award is indicative of Miller’s inescapable presence at BU during her 33-year run at the School of Music.

“Every student who came through the school had to get through Sister’s theory courses and those are really hard courses to teach,” he said. “So I always think of Sister as being someone that all of our alumni know.”

According to an online obituary written by her family, Miller was overall a very humble and grateful soul who had a deep care for each of her piano students.

“She was known as a very good and strict teacher,” the obituary reads. “Her listening ear and caring heart endeared her to many, and several past students have continued to keep in touch with her over many years.”

Miller’s funeral is scheduled to take place at Regina’s Christ the King church today at 11 a.m., although seating will be limited due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Anyone who wishes to view this service online can watch the livestream that is being provided by the YouTube channel Tech Ministry.

» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com

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