Annette Renee Miller Coenen went home to be with Jesus, her Lord and Savior, at 4:27 p.m. on Thursday, September 2, 2021. She passed into the arms of her heavenly Father surrounded by her loving family at the age of 53.
She was born on February 6, 1968, in Warsaw, Indiana and was the oldest of three daughters born to Thomas (Tom) Richard Miller and Donna Mae (Grady) Miller.
Following her graduation from Warsaw High School in 1986, Annette continued her education at Grace College graduating with a teaching degree in elementary education. After a year of teaching near Atlanta, Georgia, she moved to Colorado where she earned her master’s degree in biblical counseling at Colorado Christian University. She enjoyed a few years of teaching in Colorado before returning to Indiana.
Annette loved Colorado and met many wonderful friends during her years of living there. Those friends are like family to her even to this day.
She always had a heart for helping others and spent many years teaching GED classes at Gateway Education Center in Warsaw. Her delight and greatest joy, however, was working as a teacher at the Miami Correctional Facility, a state prison located near Bunker Hill, Indiana. She loved and desired to help better the lives of the men who were incarcerated there. Many inmates had the privilege of knowing Annette and loving her as she loved them.
She also had a love for God’s creation and spent a lot of time with animals and flowers. Annette’s cats were very special to her, and she particularly enjoyed alpacas. She could often be found caring for her flowers or capturing God’s creation through the lens of her camera.
Annette was a member of and attended Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church with her family. She was dearly loved and was a loving daughter, sister, and friend to many. Most importantly she would like to be remembered for her steadfast faith in Jesus, her Savior.
She is survived by her parents, Tom and Donna Miller (Winona Lake, IN); and two sisters, Tami Sue Miller (Appleton, WI), and Amy Lee Miller (Winona Lake, IN). She also leaves behind many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by her grandparents and several extended family members.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, Indiana. Annette’s life will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 8, 2021 at Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church, 1200 Kings Highway, Winona Lake, Indiana and officiated by Pastor Bruce Barlow and Pastor Kip Cone. The family will receive guests prior to the service on Wednesday. A graveside service will follow at Oakwood Cemetery of Warsaw.
Memorial donations may be directed to Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church – Care Fund, 1200 Kings Highway, Winona Lake, IN 46590.
Online condolences may be sent through the funeral home’s website at www.
