Diane Gloria Miller

Diane Gloria Miller (née Lukey)

Diane Gloria Miller (née Lukey), of Cartwright, Manitoba, beloved wife, mother, foster mother, grandmother, aunt, niece, cousin, and friend, passed away peacefully on February 14, 2026, at Tri-Lake Health Centre.

Diane was born on June 12, 1946, in Canora, Saskatchewan, to Anne (née Grywacheski) and Michael Lukey. She was the youngest of three children and attended school in Swan River, Manitoba, before moving to Winnipeg to live with her sister and attend the University of Manitoba. In 1967, while attending university, she met her husband, Thomas, and together they went on to build a life grounded in resilience, quiet strength, and a deep commitment to family and community.

Together, they began the grand adventure of teaching in rural Manitoba (Whitemouth and Moosehorn), starting a family with their daughter, Katriana, and creating Starhawk Childcare Services in the Northern Interlake. This 20-year project supported troubled foster teenagers in overcoming behavioural challenges and transitioning back to their home communities where possible. Diane’s soft and kind demeanour allowed her to serve as a foster mother to hundreds of teens and their families.

By 1996, semi-retirement beckoned, and Diane and Tom chose to scale back to fostering four teens at a time in the Cartwright area, a commitment that continued until 2017, all while Diane also served as Tom’s primary caregiver.

Diane’s life was marked by a steady and enduring presence. She was a woman who showed her care through action—through the home she helped build, the family she supported, and the many lives she quietly influenced along the way. Her strength, though often understated, was foundational to the life she and Tom created together. She was also known for her quick wit and sharp sense of humor, often bringing lightness to those around her—or a shock to the system, as she presented as polite and reserved.

She will be remembered not only as a wife, mother, and grandmother, but as a constant and grounding force within her family and community. The legacy she helped build continues through the generations that follow.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Thomas Clifford Miller, in January 2020; her parents, Michael (1994) and Annie (2022); and her brother-in-law, Laurie Hughes (2012).

Diane is lovingly remembered by her daughter, Katriana (Michael Claire), and her grandchildren Chance and Jamaykah; her great-grandchildren Miyah, Elias, Beckham, and Inayah-Rayn; as well as many foster children, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and friends.

She is also survived by her siblings, Claudette and Eugene, and will be fondly remembered by her extended family. This includes Claudette’s children: Christopher (Leanne) and their children Vivian and William; Maureen (Joel Brown) and their children Zachary and Jessica; Alison (Mitchell McInnes) and their children Ben, Kate, and Sam; and Jennifer (Patrick Rabby) and their children Sarah and Max. She is further survived by Eugene and his wife Mary, along with their children: Jo-Anne (Michael Neudorf) and their children Amy, Eva, and Anne; Janice (Keith Johnson); Karen (Mike Wiens) and their children Dierdra and Georgia; and Paula Lukey (partner Pat).

A Celebration of Diane’s life will be held at Memories Chapel 330-18th Street North, Brandon on Friday, June 12, 2026, at 10:30 am with Rosena Doerksen & Randy Beaudry as urn bearers.

The family would like to extend sincere gratitude to the Cartwright ambulance service members, Dr. Bemment, Dr. Yang, Tri-Lake Health Centre, Cartwright Health Store, Cartwright Fine Foods, and the community of Cartwright as a whole for your care and compassion. Thank you to family and friends across the country for your support and kind words. A very special thank you to Rosena Doerksen for going above and beyond every day to ensure Diane was well taken care of.

For those who wish, donations may be made to the Adoption Council of Ontario, PO Box 30010 RPO Boxgrove, Markham, ON L6B 0R5, or CancerCare Manitoba, Box 180, Station Main, Winnipeg, MB R3C 2G6.