When you visit Carol Miller at 10 Wilmington Place, the first thing you'll notice is the art. Just outside her door, her watercolor pieces line the wall, vivid snapshots of a lifelong creative spirit. But Carol's story goes far beyond the canvas. It's one of deep faith, devoted service, and a rich legacy in the Dayton community.

From St. Paul to Dayton

Carol's journey began in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she discovered her love for fashion working part-time in a department store during high school. After graduation, she was hired as secretary to the personnel manager and stayed in the retail world for five years. Her life took a new direction when she married, and the couple moved to Canton, Ohio, where her husband volunteered with a service organization that helped establish and build what we know today as the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"I remember he said he had somebody's famous leather helmet in the trunk of his car," Carol recalls with a smile, remembering those early days when her husband was helping collect artifacts for the new museum.

After five years in Canton, the family moved to Dayton when her husband found work as a window trimmer, a profession that has since nearly disappeared. They settled on Wroe Avenue in a Catholic neighborhood where university professors from the University of Dayton lived alongside growing families, creating a vibrant community with about 50 kids on their particular block.

Building a Family Legacy

Carol and her husband raised three children: Tom, Sharon, and David, all of whom still call Dayton home. The family has maintained a tradition that clearly brings Carol immense joy. "We get together every Friday night for happy hour," she beams.

Over the years, the family has developed quite a theme. Her sons both became firefighters for the city of Dayton before retiring, while her daughter Sharon worked as a nurse in intensive care at Grandview Hospital for 15 years and at Miami Valley Hospital's emergency room for 5 years. The medical tradition has continued with grandchildren working as doctors, nurses, paramedics, and phlebotomists. Carol jokes about their family's career path: "The whole family's medical. We don't let them in the family unless they're medical."

Family adventures often centered around Lake St. Mary's, where they spent eight years of weekends on a houseboat with close friends. "It was great," Carol says, her voice still filled with warmth when remembering those times together on the water.

A Heart for Service

Carol's deep faith led her into meaningful work serving others. In 1971, she joined the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, which opened doors to volunteer at Good Samaritan Hospital distributing communion and praying with patients. The role evolved when administrators recognized the value of her ministry. "After about a year, the department heads wanted to pay their people, so I went from volunteer to being paid, which was nice," she recalls.

When the Archdiocese of Cincinnati decided youth sports programs were no longer necessary, lay people in Dayton disagreed. They established their own Catholic Youth Organization and hired Carol to run it. "I did all the administrative stuff," she explains. "It was a great job working with great people."

Despite her dedication to youth sports, Carol admits athletics weren't her strong suit. She still laughs about the time an organizer needed names for an all-star soccer team. "He wanted 11 names and I said, 'Why 11?' He said, 'You're kidding. That's how many are on a soccer team, don't tell anybody you didn't know that."

Faith as Foundation

Faith has anchored Carol's life for more than half a century. In 1972, she and two close friends started a charismatic prayer group at Corpus Christi parish close to her home on Wroe Avenue that continues meeting today. The longevity carries both blessing and poignancy. "We kept track of everybody as they died," Carol notes, referencing a memorial list on the back of their prayer sheet that now contains about 60 names. "It's amazing that it's still going."

Finding Home at 10 Wilmington Place

Carol's path to 10 Wilmington Place began through friendship. One of her best friends from the neighborhood, who was 20 years older, moved to the community first. Carol and her husband began visiting monthly for dinner, giving her an inside look at the community. "I could see how this place was, how it was run, what a great place it would be to live," she observed.

The decision crystallized when her husband suffered a brain bleed requiring emergency surgery. Though the surgery saved his life, Carol knew their winter trips to Florida were over. That's when her granddaughter provided the gentle nudge she needed. During a bridal shower, "She called me into the living room and wanted to talk to me about moving to 10 Wilmington Place now," Carol remembers. "I thought that was so sweet."

Her best friend Vivian also encouraged the move, and with that support, Carol was ready to act. "We came the next day, looked at all the apartments that were open. I chose one, wrote out my check, and was done."

Life in Community

Seven and a half years later, Carol has found her rhythm at 10 Wilmington Place. Her weekly schedule reflects the vibrant social life available: euchre on Mondays and Tuesdays, hand and foot card games on Wednesdays, dominoes on Thursdays, plus bowling and family happy hour on Fridays. She also served as vice president of the resident council early in her time there.

When her husband's health declined significantly, requiring full-time care, the community's support proved invaluable. "He was unable to walk or help himself or do anything, so we ended up setting up a hospital bed in our apartment and then hospice came in twice a day," Carol explains. "It was awesome to be able to be here. They came in and did the work, and I took care of the rest of it."

The experience reinforced her choice. As Carol puts it: "It's the best place ever to live. They have everything that you need. It's like family because we all know each other."

Ready to Experience Life at 10 Wilmington Place?

If you're considering a senior living community for yourself or a loved one, schedule a tour today and discover why residents like Carol have found not just a place to live, but a place to call home.