Lotus (Sherry) Lee Miller
Lotus (Sherry) Lee Miller passed away on September 10 at Lakeside’s Hospital San Antonio, at the age of 70, after a courageous battle following a stroke in 2023.
Born Sherry Lee Schneider in Amarillo, Texas, on September 2, 1954, her family moved to Cleburne, Texas in 1960, and later to the Permian Basin region in 1963. She graduated from Permian High School in 1973 and from Odessa College of Nursing in 1975.
Lotus took her nursing exams in Austin, where she fell in love with the city and moved there in 1976. She worked on the eye, ear, nose, and throat floor at Seton Healthcare’s Austin hospital. It was at a volleyball party in September 1981 that she met the love of her life, Marc Ross Miller. They married a year later.
Her world expanded in 1983 when she left Seton to accompany Marc on a three-month business trip to West Germany.
Their son, Alexander Rex Miller, was born in July 1984, after which Lotus became a stay-at-home mother while pursuing certification with the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). When Texas began licensing massage therapists, she was “grandfathered in” thanks to her AMTA credential. For the next six years, she ran her home-based massage practice, Bodyworks from the Heart. After Alex started school, Lotus returned to nursing at Baily Square Surgical Center in Austin.
In 1993, Lotus was diagnosed with several endocrinological issues, the most significant being a benign pituitary tumor that required major surgery. Many of her subsequent health challenges were linked to this tumor.
Lotus worked as a traveling home healthcare nurse for Seton but later found a unique role as a massage therapist with Dr. Mark Sweeney at Austin Dental Spa.
In 2007, following a spiritual calling, she changed her name from Sherry to Lotus.
After extensive research, Lotus and Marc chose Ajijic as their retirement home in 2017, where Lotus indulged in her love for hiking on the trails above the village. She often spent hours at her favorite “sitting tree,” making calls to family and friends in the United States.
Lotus was an active volunteer at the Lake Chapala Society, where she helped organize the game group and served as a docent at the gates. She cherished the healthcare system in Ajijic and its costs, appreciating the time and care her doctors provided, major factors in the couple’s decision to leave the United States
In June 2023, Lotus was diagnosed with a failing mitral heart valve, which was replaced in September. Unfortunately, she suffered a significant stroke during the surgery.
Her warmth, conversation and snarky wit will be deeply missed by Marc, Alex and her many friends.
Lotus is survived by her husband, Marc, of Ajijic; her son Alex and daughter-in-law Keri Rance of Annapolis, Maryland; her mother, Glenda Lee Schneider, of Nacogdoches, Texas; her brother, Robert Henry Schneider III, and his wife Glenda Kay of Odessa, Texas; and her sister Melissa and her husband Andy Johnston of Nacogdoches, Texas.
A memorial service will be held on November 15 in Chapala. Those wishing to attend can contact Marc via WhatsApp.
Jon De Young
Jon De Young passed away in Chapala on September 18. He was born on May 27, 1938, and spent most of his adult life in Florida before moving to Chapala in the 1990s.
A former member of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves, Jon was also an active volunteer at the American Legion Post 7 in Chapala and participated enthusiastically in local theater groups. He loved playing tennis, walking along the malecón, and was an avid reader. Jon was known for his sense of humor and his talent as an actor, earning him many friends and admirers.
He is survived by Steve De Young, Madison De Young, Michael De Young, and Tara De Young.
A celebration of his life will be held on Friday, October 18, at noon, at The Bare Stage Theatre, located in the garden of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, San Lucas 19, Riberas del Pilar. All who knew Jon are welcome to attend.