“…children understand; their stories and accomplishments sit atop the stories of their mothers and fathers, stones upon stones, beneath the waters of their lives.”
Mitch Albom

About Anne, Personal Historian

I have always loved hearing and telling stories. I am the second eldest in a family of ten children who grew up on a small farm in the Eastern Townships of Québec. I recall trying to ambush my busy parents long enough to tell me some “when-I-was-little” stories. As a big sister, I often spent evenings telling my own bedtime stories to my siblings and later, to my children and my grandchildren.

In fact, giving and receiving stories has been threaded throughout my professional work as well, as an adult educator, a lay counsellor, a researcher doing needs assessment and qualitative research and as a writer. Now, as a personal historian, my philosophy is that saving life stories, reflecting who we are as individuals, gives meaning and value to families and communities long after we have passed.

Not only am I writing full life histories, I have contributed to publications, including:

EQUITAS: https://equitas.org/advocating-childrens-rights-foster-care-winnipeg

STARSHELL: https://issuu.com/starshell/docs/starshell_fall_2018, (Page 47)

SEASIDE MAGAZINE (https://seasidemagazine.ca) currently writing a column called, “Meet Your Neighbours”

Very recently, I had the honour of writing my younger brother’s eulogy, posted on the funeral home’s website (https://pinecrest-remembrance.com/tribute/details/7524/Shane-Miller/obituary.html#tribute-start).

CONTACT INFO

Anne Miller
Phone: 250.537.7593
Email: anne@annemiller.ca

My Parents, Howard and Kathleen Miller

“In all of us there is a hunger, bone-marrow deep, to know our heritage, to know who we are and where we have come from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning, a vacuum, an emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness.”

-Alex Haley, Roots

“Please pat yourself on the back for a job well done. Start to finish you handled the project so very well and produced a beautifully written book that will be treasured by family members. There is much to be said by having the opportunity to tell one’s story. Wish deepest gratitude for your persistence, kindness, and gift of writing.”

A.W.

“I want to let you know how much the family and I have enjoyed reading ‘My Life in Chapters.’ Thank you for doing such a marvellous job in writing up these memoirs.”

C.M.

“You certainly have a wonderful gift for writing, Anne. I felt as if I knew this amazing young woman by the time I finished reading just the one page.”

R.A.

“Anne, you have that special talent that so few have – to be able to take the words spoken and put them in text for so the many quiet voices that just want the respect of being heard.”

P.M.

“I just finished reading your lovely tribute to your brother. It was wonderful to read this loving letter about his story and character. It goes without saying that it was well written.”

S.B.

“Many thanks for the wonderful article in the February issue of Seaside Magazine. You did a superb job and really captured the marvellous, woman, teacher and friend of mine.”

S.D.

“The process of recounting my early years to Anne was so meaningful to me and surprisingly so easy. Bringing back many long-forgotten memories of family and my childhood antics was truly a joyful walk down memory lane.”

E.G.