Geraldine Orlando Miller

Geraldine Orlando Miller, age 79, passed away peacefully on January 10, 2026. She was the devoted wife of Gerald R. Miller for 48 years; the loving and proud mother of Jeffrey T. Miller and Bradley T. Miller (Christine, née Petras); the cherished daughter of Amedeo and Helen Orlando (née Stano) (both deceased); dear sister of Bobby Orlando (deceased) and Joseph Orlando (Rosemary, née Carroccio); and the beloved aunt and great aunt of many.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Geraldine was raised in the close-knit Italian enclave along Woodland Avenue on the city’s East Side, where family, faith and tradition were the foundations of her life. She was proud of her Italian heritage as a descendant of the Orlando Baking Company’s founding family in America from the early 20th century. Geraldine graduated in 1965 from Notre Dame Academy (now Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin School), where she excelled in all academic subjects but especially Latin. She continued her education at Flora Stone Mather College for Women (now Case Western Reserve University), earning her bachelor’s degree in history in 1969, and later attended Ohio Northern University College of Law. As a newlywed in 1977, Geraldine began her life with Gerald in the upstairs suite of her mother’s two-family home in University Heights. In 1979, they settled in South Euclid, where they raised their two sons and filled their home with love while exemplifying the values of hard work, patience and loyalty. In 2007, Geraldine and Gerald moved to Chesterland, embracing a slower, more reflective pace of life after their children had begun lives of their own grounded in their parents’ values. A devout Roman Catholic, growing up Geraldine worshiped at the former Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church (East.) Later she instilled her faith in her children as a parishioner of St. Gregory the Great (now Sacred Heart of Jesus) in South Euclid, and most recently she showed her devotion to God at St. Anselm in Chesterland. Geraldine’s sharp intellect and natural gift for language were evident to all in her conversations and writings, the latter also showcasing her beautiful penmanship. Geraldine was also known for her commitment to healthy living and physical fitness. She became a familiar and friendly face to many as she did her daily “mall walking,” athletic shoes laced, at the former Severance Center in Cleveland Heights and later at Beachwood Place. Like her mother before her, Geraldine valued staying well-informed, reading The Plain Dealer in print every day until the written word and other pursuits of the mind became more challenging for her. In the last years of Geraldine’s life, Gerald devotedly cared for her in their home until she took residence in the Arden Courts memory care facility in Chagrin Falls. There Geraldine received love and attention from the caregiving team, with hospice services provided at the end of her life by Compassionate Care, to all of whom her family is deeply grateful.

Interment Lake View Cemetery. Mass of Christian Burial 10 AM Monday, January 19, 2026 at St. Anselm Church, 12969 Chillicothe Rd., Chesterland. Family and friends may call at the Fioritto Funeral Home, 5236 Mayfield Rd., Lyndhurst (East of Richmond Rd.) on Sunday, January 18, 2026 from 2 to 6 PM.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Geraldine’s memory to the Cleveland Area Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association at https://www.alz.org/cleveland?form=FUNDHYMMBXU