Scituate, MA January 24, 2021

Scituate, MA: Miriam "Mim" Buecher Miner left this world on January 24, 2021.   Born in 1928 in Manchester NH where she lived with her German parents and elder sister Charlotte.  She attended UNH for a major in Education, where she met her soon to be husband, Forrest Miner, US Marine Corp veteran.  After starting careers in the New Market, NH school system, they moved to Massachusetts to further their careers in the Wachusett area.

Miriam was a stay at home mother until all began school, having wanted "to raise her own children."  She pursued further education and training as an Occupational Therapist, eventually managing a program at Mill Swan School in Worcester, working with severe physically challenged children and young adults.  In later years, she transitioned to work with children with learning disabilities.  She was most known for creating a program to meet needs in the entire Wachusett Regional School system, by applying for a grant to purchase and staff a mobile learning lab that could move from school to school.  The funny part of the story she'd tell is that because she hadn't included provisions for a driver in the grant budget, she had to get her license for heavy vehicles, and she became program director, manager and driver.   This was a unique undertaking for a woman in 1970.  The program was a success and continued to be included in grant and school budgets.  Her findings contributed via medical journals to the new knowledge that some disabilities derived from emotional problems and even food allergies. During these years, they purchased land on Swain's Lake in Barrington, NH, and built a cottage that became the family summer home.  In retirement, they purchased a home in Punta Gorda, FL with other friends from their early years in education, and which became their winter home for many years until Hurricane Charlie made it "Ground Zero", sending most of them permanently back north to New England.

Both Miriam and Forrest were long time volunteers for the lake association in NH and the Peace River Wildlife Preserve in FL. While in Boston visiting Julie, Miriam worked at the Boston Symphony Orchestra Development Office as a volunteer. After his passing in 2002, Miriam continued to be productive, visiting to Bocas del Toro, Panama with son David and taught English to local children there. A lover of animals, she also continued to volunteer at various veterinary hospitals and shelters.  So good at rehabilitating her own rescue dog that we called her Dr Doolittle.

Miriam was an avid reader and writer.  She pursued courses and wrote with the Seacoast writer's association, subsequently writing anything from witty newspaper editorials to novels.  Her stories frequently included a character from an animal species.  Frustrated by the trials to become formally published, she finally self-published one of her children's book called "Nest of Robbins."

Predeceased by Forrest and her sister Charlotte Kimball, Miriam leaves her three children Jeffrey (Rutland, MA) , David (Boulder, CO) and Julie White (Marshfield Hills, MA) and their spouses Wendy, Sarah and Brad, and 11 grand and great grandchildren, nieces and nephews with whom she shared her legacy of human and wildlife interests. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in honor of Miriam B. Miner to the Environmental Defense Fund https://www.edf.org/tributegifts or by mail or phone to: EDF 1875 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20009. T (202) 572-3298 and/or the Scituate Fire Dept. att: Capt. Donovan, 800 CJC Hwy, Scituate, MA 02066 T: (781) 545-1212