Maria Smith (Milles) Service Information

Maria Milles Smith passed peacefully surrounded by her eight children on March 4, 2023. Maria, known lovingly as “Oma,” was visited by all of her 24 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren in the days leading up to her passing. 

Maria was born on November 30, 1940, the third of the six Milles children. She was an excellent student at St. Veronica’s Grade School and then at Little Flower High School, class of 1958, where she was also an accomplished violinist.

Maria was a great cook, famous for her Coffee Sponge Cake and making delicious left-over casseroles to feed her brood.  Her cooking was one of the many qualities that attracted young Michael Smith to her. Michael and Maria’s courtship was documented in a compilation of letters that they exchanged while Mike was a soldier at Fort Benning, GA and Maria was a student at St. Agnes School of Nursing. Mike and Maria were married on June 22, 1963, and would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this year.

During her career, Maria was a med/surg nurse at Episcopal Hospital and a geriatric nurse at St. John Neumann Nursing home where she was affectionately referred to as “Our Mrs. Smith”.

Maria’s greatest treasures were her deep faith and family, and her legacy will endure for generations.  She will be remembered always as a fun loving Oma, attending countless school plays, athletic events, concerts, Grandparent Day celebrations, baptisms, First Holy Communions, Confirmations, graduations and hosting many holiday dinners, Easter egg hunts  (where she filled 200 eggs with candy), crab feasts, and grandchild sleepovers. 

She is survived by her husband Michael and her eight children and their spouses whom she loved as her own; Maria (Darryl), Michael (Lynne), Donna (Sean), Virginia “Ginny” (Stosh), Joseph (Theresa), Vicky (Brian), Dolores “Dee” (Jeff) and Loretta (Gary). Somehow she always made each of her children feel like they were her favorite.

She will be deeply missed by her 24 grandchildren, Liz (Kevin), Anthony (Elizabeth), Caitlin (Eric), Brenden (Nicole), Samantha (Matt), Conner (Katie), Nick, Patrick, Jackie, Cara, Gary, Sophia, Brianne, Maddie, Joseph, Shane, Kayla, Timmy, Michael, Shayna, Bella, Ryan, Tyler, Dominic and her 9 great-grandchildren, Abigail, Josephine, Mia, Cole, Lydia, Pax, Luka, Mason and Rory.

She is also survived by her brothers Steve, Bill, and Fran (Karen). She was predeceased in death by her sisters Eva and Betty and her sister-in-law, Rosemarie Milles.

Relatives and friends are invited to call Saturday, March 11^th from 9 to 11am at the Galzerano Funeral Home, 9304 Old Bustleton Avenue Phila PA 19115.  Her Funeral Mass will follow at 11:30am at Maternity BVM Church.  Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Little Flower High School, 1000 W. Lycoming St. Philadelphia PA 19140 or to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation.

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