Gisele Solange Miller September 13, 1933 – April 29, 2020

Gisele Solange Miller (Echeverri) passed from this life on April 29, 2020 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She touched so many lives and will be dearly missed by family and friends. Gisele Solange Echeverri was born September 13, 1933 in Cali, Columbia to Alcibiades A. Echeverri (1908-2005) and Solange G. Echeverri (Zurburgg, 1907-1998). Gisele’s father worked at Singer Manufacturing Co. and worked in both Colombia and Geneva, Switzerland. He met and married Solange Zurburgg. Gisele was the second of three children and the only daughter. A year after Gisele was born, the family moved to Geneva, Switzerland where she grew up surrounded by a large extended family throughout Switzerland. World War II was raging in Europe when Gisele was a young teenager and her family boarded a ship in hopes of gaining entry into the United States. Arriving in Savannah, Georgia, the family was told they did not have financial resources required by the United States at that time. As a result, Gisele and family lived in Mexico City until enough money was saved to gain entry into the United States. The family settled in San Bernardino, California and by the time she graduated high School in 1951, she was completely fluent in French, Spanish and English. She attended Community College and San Diego State University. She worked for the San Bernardino Sun Newspaper in the editorial department. In 1955 she married Gerald L. Miller of San Bernardino and Gerry and Gisele raised three children. Gisele was very active in the Assistance League of San Bernardino and had a great passion and talent for the arts and completed many hours of art instruction including clay pottery. Gisele spent a great deal of time throughout her life creating paintings, drawings and pottery and was very gifted. Gisele was a wonderful cook and hosted many friends and family throughout the years. Gerry and Gisele moved to the Yampa Valley and for 40 years she spent some of the best years of her life. She was very much at home in the mountains and loved cross country skiing, snowshoeing and later in life, exercising regularly at Old Town Hot Springs. One of her most rewarding endeavors was the ten plus years spent working at Grand Kids Day Care and all the wonderful friendships she gained while working there. After retiring from Grand Kids Day Care, Gisele enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren travelling frequently to Arizona and the Front Range to spend time with them. Gisele loved all the things Yampa Valley has to offer, but most of all the people and the friendships she gained while living there. She was gracious, talented and loving. Gisele was a devout Catholic her entire life and a member of St Martin’s of Tour Catholic Church.

Gisele is preceded in death by her mother, father and brother and is survived by her husband Gerald Miller of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, daughter Jacqueline Kurth (Casey) of Phoenix, Arizona, Sons Gerald Miller Jr. of Phoenix, Arizona and John Miller of Cole, Oklahoma, four grandchildren Alix Wistuber, Emilie and Thomas Kurth, Samantha Miller and two great grandchildren Hunter and Danielle Wistuber. She is also survived by her brother Gildo Echeverri of Burbank, California.

There will be a funeral mass for Gisele at Holy Name Catholic Church in Steamboat Springs on July 6, 2020 at 12:00 pm. Should regulations permit, a reception/luncheon will be held afterward on Church grounds. Burial or her remains will be held at the Oak Creek cemetery following the reception.