Elsie Shanda-Miller, 94, of Souderton, formerly of Emmaus, died Jan. 12, 2019, at the Souderton Mennonite Homes, Souderton. She was the wife of the late Joseph James Shanda Jr. and Donald E. Miller. Born in Heredia, Costa Rica, she was the daughter of the late Santiago and Oliva Salas Zamora.

She graduated from the University of San Jose with an elementary education degree. From the early 1960s until the mid-1970s she was employed as a Spanish teacher for the Springside School, Chestnut Hill. Following her teaching career, she worked as a case aide for Montgomery County Child Welfare Services, Norristown. She served as the director of the Indian Valley Opportunity Center, Souderton, until her retirement.

She loved traveling internationally, going to the ocean, bird watching, quilting, crocheting and sewing. She will be remembered by family and friends as an independent person who was always involved with charity work.

She was a former member of St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, Ambler.

She is survived by sons, Richard Shanda and his wife Celine, of Phoenixville, Lawrence Shanda and his wife Beth, of Ocean City, N.J. and James Shanda and his wife Catherine, of White Haven; daughter, Lynn and her husband Michael Zahner, of Blue Bell; grandchildren, Glori, Tina, Joseph, Kimberly, Sara, Emma, Timothy and Hilary; great-grandchildren, JJ, Ashley, Gracie, Layna, Ellianna, Braydon, Leah, Eva, Ethan and Steven. She was predeceased by a granddaughter, Angel and a great-granddaughter, Cassondra.

Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 42040, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73123.

Arrangements were made by the Anders-Detweiler Funeral Home & Crematory, Souderton.