Maureen Miller

Maureen Miller (Fancher), 88, of Casper, Wyoming, passed away peacefully on August 13, 2025, at Central Wyoming Hospice and Transitions.

Maureen was born August 31, 1936, in Glacier County, Montana, to Jean J. Hansen and Leonard K. Fancher. She was the oldest of three sisters, and the family eventually made Casper their home, where Maureen spent most of her life.

As a young woman, Maureen loved to share stories from her bartending days. Later, she began working for the Natrona County School District in the cafeteria. She dedicated 25 years of service at CY Junior High before accepting an early retirement. Many students and staff fondly remember her as a friendly face in the lunchroom.

Maureen married her first husband, Barry Horn, at a young age. During his military service, they lived in Japan, where she loved driving a little sports car she always talked about. On September 3, 1957, Maureen gave birth to her daughter, Diane Marie Horn. After her marriage to Barry ended, she later met and married Bill Miller. Together, Maureen, Bill, and Diane spent several years living in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, before returning to Casper.

Maureen and Bill loved the outdoors. Because Maureen had summers off and Bill worked as an independent painter, they spent their free time camping, fishing, and rock hunting. Some of their favorite memories were collecting moss agates in Jeffrey City and fishing at Alcova, where they rented a small house by the dam for many years.

Maureen had a vibrant spirit and a positive outlook on life, never letting life’s challenges dim her joy. She adored her family, especially her granddaughter Shauna and great-grandchildren Aliah and Eric. Summers with Grandma were full of fun – swimming at the apartment pool, playing rummy and spades, and riding in her orange Volkswagen Beetle. She loved her beer, cigarettes, jewelry, and dark lipstick, and she never dressed or acted “old”. Her young-at-heart spirit shone through in her style and personality.

After Diane’s passing in 2006, Maureen was a constant source of love and support for Shauna and later cherished every moment with her great-grandchildren. She taught them to play cards just as she had done with Shauna. In her later years, Maureen enjoyed happy hours at Galloway’s, playing her free play at the casino, thrift shopping, and relaxing on her porch.

Maureen was truly one of a kind-kind-hearted, fun-loving, and unforgettable. She made an impression on everyone she met and will be dearly missed.

She is survived by her granddaughter, Shauna Bower; great-grandchildren, Aliah, and Eric Hult; nieces, Lori and Kim and their children; and nephew Troy Ellis and his family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Jean and Leonard Fancher; her daughter Diane Horn; her husband, Bill Miller; sisters, Beverly Ellis, Patty Shall, and Margie Bunting; and nephews Shaun Ellis, Brent Bunting, Steve Bunting, and Mike Shall.

Memorial donations may be made to a GoFundMe account that has been set up or sent by mail to 574 E. M Street Casper, WY 82601.

https://gofund.me/00c72faf