Name/Title
Margaret Mary Miller - Valentine - Belmont Village AlbanyDescription
Margaret Mary was born in Chicago in 1949, the youngest of three children, and moved to California in her early teens. At the age of 20, Margaret Mary was accepted at the prestigious Brooks Institute of Photography and fell in love with the art. She was 1 of 2 women among 250 men.
She met her husband at Brooks and they moved to Redding CA, where her daughter Kate was born. She opened a photo studio, and over time found her next passion: flower design. She became the owner of a flower shop where she learned to love floral art. In 1985 she made some life changes, and after a divorce she moved to Sacramento.
Struggling with personal losses she needed to find her essence. She volunteered at Loaves and Fishes, working on the front line with homeless people in need of mental health services, and became a full time employee. She later became director of the Service Center, handing out up to 1,000 lunch tickets. She then founded "Sister Nora's Place," a shelter for homeless schizophrenic women. Margaret-Mary spent years developing leadership programs and supporting individuals in her community. She has often been celebrated for her compassion and authenticity.
Now at Belmont Village, she enjoys creating floral designs, exploring painting and reading to her grandkids. The biggest lesson she discovered and embraced: “We are all the same.”
