Miriam Ann Van Loan

Miriam Anne Van Loan, 98, of Atlanta, Georgia, died peacefully on May 7, 2022, surrounded by loving family. She was predeceased by her parents, Mary and Joseph Hubert, her husband, James D. Van Loan, and her son, Richard Van Loan.

Miriam was born on February 20, 1924 in New York City, where she attended Catholic schools throughout her youth, culminating in high school at the School of the Blessed Sacrament on an academic scholarship. Her strong Catholic faith was her guiding light throughout her long life. Upon graduation from Hunter College in 1946 with a degree in English, Miriam worked as a preschool teacher and also taught at the New York School for the Deaf.

After Miriam’s first child was born, she was able to fulfill her desire to stay home to raise her four children. She moved from Cornwall, New York, to Atlanta in 1982 to live closer to her daughter and family, and was a loving and supportive influence on the lives of all her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Miriam’s love of children was enduring. After raising her own family, she worked for 30 years caring for infants and toddlers in the nursery at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, in Atlanta. Her love of reading led her to volunteer with the Smyrna Library for over 20 years, and she was honored for her service by the Friends of Smyrna Library. Her other hobbies and interests included classical music, gardening and cooking for family and for those in need.

Miriam leaves behind three children: Bob Van Loan (Diane), Dr. Linda Anthony (Hank), and Jim Van Loan (Susan), nine grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren.

A Mass for Miriam will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Wednesday, May 18th at 1:00pm.

She will be laid to rest in St. Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Cemetery in Cornwall, New York, with her husband, son, and parents.

In lieu of flowers, her family requests that donations be made to Catholic Relief Services at: support.crs.org.