Dr. Merrily O'Connor Miller (1941-2024)

Born Mary Leslie Smith, later and most well known as Dr. Merrily O'Connor Miller, 82, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y. She passed away with her family at her side at the Albany Medical Center, following complications from a fall at her home on Sunday morning, July 7, 2024.

She was born in the city of Chicago, Illinois on October 17, 1941, the eldest child of Robert and Patricia Smith. The Smith household was very full, with four daughters and two sons. The stories over the years were ones of faith, love, and the occasional antics, as you would imagine in a house with six children. Merrily attended Marywood H.S. in Evanston, Illinois, before moving on to study at Mundelein College in Chicago, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. What some people may not have known, after graduating she went on to work as an English Teacher at Mather H.S. in Chicago. Although she loved what she was doing, she decided to continue on with her studies, and later earned a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois. Changing her course of studies quite literally changed the course of her life.

Merrily met the first love in her life when she was a Freshman at Mundelein College, Thomas (Buzzy) O'Connor. Buzzy was her younger brother Bobby's basketball Coach and was the Captain of the Basketball Team at Loyola University. They met at a party thrown by her mother for Bobby's birthday. This love story culminated in the two getting married at St. Ignatius in Chicago in 1962. Unfortunately, Buzzy met with an untimely passing due to Multiple Myeloma in 1974.

Merrily met the next love in her life after finishing her Doctorate and working in the Mental Health field, James (Jim) Miller. Jim was a practicing Psychiatrist in a hospital in Chicago, Merrily was an intern on the same unit at that hospital, and as the story has it, he asked someone to ask her for her number, because he thought she was cute.

Merrily happily gave her number and a couple years later they were married in Chicago in September 1978. This was the beginning of nearly 45 years of marriage, raising kids, growing their practices, growing their circles of friends and moving first from Chicago, Illinois to Evanston, Illinois, and finally settling in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. in 1984.

Merrily was blessed to have five children that meant the world to her. Tom and Jack from her first marriage to Buzzy, Lillie and Jacob from her second marriage to Jim, and her stepson Matt. Raising these kids was the highlight of her life, she did everything for them and her several grandchildren: Mackenzie, Morgan, Aidan, Lila, Mia, Abby, and Jack. She did all that while still maintaining a flourishing career, happy marriage, time with her siblings (Kiki, Lizzie, Jenny, Bobby, and Packy) and time with her circles of friends (The Chicago ladies, the Ballston Spa ladies, The Saratoga ladies, and all of her other friends and colleagues). She loved cooking, rowing, golfing, riding her bike, and her obsession to travel the world! Traveling was Merrily and Jim's passion together, there may not have been a part of this world that they hadn't travel too or at least flew over.

Merrily was a partner in a thriving practice in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. called Saratoga Psychological Associates.

Merrily was very proud of the practice and the good work that they were doing in the field of Clinical Psychology and Counseling. Although she had retired over ten years ago, she would often talk in reverence about the practice, her partners (Jerry and Frank) and the other folks that continue to do the good/necessary work that they do.

Merrily will always be remembered for how she took care of everyone else first. She had the biggest heart and a need to make sure everyone else around her was OK, they were all getting along with each other, and a determination to bring people together. She was a very protective mother/grandmother (Grandma Wowee), who loved her family with every ounce of her being! She was a devoted wife that took care of her husband with love and patience. She was a loyal friend that loved to spend time kibitzing with the girls! We couldn't have asked for a better person to have been the matriarch of our family and will miss her every day. Her memory will live in the hearts of all those who loved her.

Merrily was preceded in death by her Husband James Miller, Husband Thomas O'Connor, Mother Patricia Smith, Father Robert Smith, Brother Robert Smith, and is survived by Son Thomas O'Connor (Annette), Son John O'Connor, Daughter Lillie Miller, Son Jacob Miller, Step Son Matthew Miller (Holly), Grandchildren; Mackenzie O'Connor, Morgan O'Connor, Aidan O'Connor, Abby O'Connor, John O'Connor, Lila Miller, Mia Miller, Sister Kathleen Ross, Brother Patrick Smith, Sister Lizbeth DeBoer, Sister Jennifer Roltsch (Scott), and many nieces, nephews, and loving cousins.

Relatives and friends may call Monday, July 15, 2024, from 4:00 - 7:00 pm at the William J. Burke & Sons/ Bussing & Cunniff  Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at 11:00 am at St. Clement's Church, 231 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs.

Burial will follow at Greenridge Cemetery, Lincoln Avenue, Saratoga Springs.

In lieu of flowers, donations could be made to the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation at www.myotonic.org

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.