Barbara Miran
Barbara Ann (Granke) Miran, 79 of Boise, Idaho passed away in the morning hours of Friday, June 6, 2025 at home.
Barb was born March 9, 1946 in Detroit, Michigan to Ralph and Helen Granke. The oldest of six kids, she had four sisters Diane, Kathy, Shelly, Denise, and one brother Ralph. Barb grew up in a very loving family, her parents were examples of a beautiful partnership that Barb would carry into adulthood in her own almost 60-year union. Growing up camping, riding horses, bowling – including Barb and Helen bowling on a league together, but she got her talent from her dad as he was an exceptional bowler. When Barb was seven the family moved from Michigan to California. The Granke’s were a family of faith, attending church on Sundays and attending Catholic school. Barb attended Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School and she later graduated from Alemany Catholic School – and attributed her beautiful penmanship to the nuns.
Barb met “Tony” Miran on a blind date in 1964 and both knew right away that they had met their person. They were married on June 26, 1965 in a Catholic Mass, think classic old school Italian! She looked so beautiful.
They started their own loving family on September 9, 1966 with the birth of Mark. Tory followed four years later on September 5, 1970 and finally Brian on October 24, 1974. She loved being a boy mom and she was a great one – the boys always knew how much their mom loved them because she told them constantly!
Though boys will be boys and they supplied many, many funny stories (sometimes a little scary – Mark chasing Tory down with the station wagon or Tory hanging Brian over the balcony or …) lol. Some of the stories she wouldn’t find out about for decades – but overall, she could smile and enjoy the fun-loving relationships her boys shared! The family moved to Idaho in 1981 and settled on some acreage on Lake Hazel with a Nampa address, a Meridian phone number, and the boys would attend Kuna schools. Those years Barb did it all, mothered her boys, took care of Tony as he supported the family, feeding all the various animals on the property over the years, as well as being a well-respected and highly sought after housecleaner.
Barb was an awesome sports mom! Baseball was the family sport – all three boys played while growing up. From a well-developed California league to the farm fields of Idaho, she loved to attend, cheer her guts out, and help with the boy’s teams over the years. All the boys have friends who remark that Barb was hugely supportive – hearing her cheering from the stands or from the snack bar – she was very enthusiastic!!
Barb’s most favorite time of life was raising her boys and everyday life with Tony (I swear on all my love), but a close second is her time as Gram. Starting with Mark’s family – she loved her weekends with Trevor and Janessa. Going to racetracks to watch Mark and later with both his kids, she was able to continue the enthusiastic cheering though now for her grandkids. Tory added to her grandkids pack with Ally and Brady – so there were more Saturday morning pancake parties. She gained a new sport with Ally when she decided to take on track and field, then later Brady with cross country. All the family can still hear her (thanks YouTube) yelling “Go Ally” at the top of her lungs! Brian added one more grandchild with Bianca and cheered at volleyball games. She was blessed to watch her great grandson Karson follow in his Grampa Mark’s and dad Trevor’s footsteps as a cart racer. No doubt her other great grandsons Nico and Beckett and great granddaughter Remington would have given her many more chances to cheer in the future. Barb also had a special designation as “Aunt-Grandma” to her youngest sister Denise’s kids since the passing of Helen when Barb jumped in to help fill the missing Grama role.
All of us will miss the family dinners, learning to swim with her, or just being lazy on pool noodles with her talking about nothing and everything. The generous Disney trips when the kids turned five, camping and fishing, trips to Lagoon and riding the Rocket! Snowmobiling, boating, motorhome trips to the coast, waterskiing, bingo, bunko, bowling, and ball games! Jackpot trips, late night talks, phone calls, her hugs, her laugh, Great Wall lunch specials, ColdStone for dinner, her cheesecake and peanut butter balls – the list could go on and on.
She was a good friend to so many, the Reibers, the Pinkstons, the bowlers, the stellar quilter, the strangers turned friends at games, or at the store – she really did not know a stranger because she was so outgoing and showed kindness to everyone she would come across. Finally, all the doctors and nurses and other hospital staff she encountered knew kindness from her – that’s how she treated people with kindness and love.
She is survived by the love of her life Tony of almost 60 years (just 20 days short). They were quite a package together – Mr. Italian and Mrs. up for the adventurous ride that would make a full beautiful life. Her sons – Mark (Dani), Tory (Jenn), and Brian (Kristy). Her grandkids – Trevor (Holly), Janessa (Rikki), Ally, Brady, Kayden, Kole, Bianca, Keaton, Kierstyn, and Koen. Her great-grandkids – Karson, Nico, Beckett, and Remington. Her siblings – Dianne (Bob), Kathy, Ralph, and Denise (Dennis). Many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents Ralph and Helen, her sister Shelly, her brother-in-law Bob (Kathy), and nephew Michael (Kathy).
Her wishes were for a small close family gathering in her memory at a ballfield all the boys played. We’ll play a game of wiffleball for her.
Friends, family, and other loved ones are asked to think of her with a margarita, cheering on a loved one, playing the slots (getting lots of play for your money:), playing with your dog or just hugging your family – some of the things she loved.
Those who wish to donate in her name, she had a favorite foundation – Ally & Brady’s Gift of Hope! We’ll make sure it goes in remembrance of her to a cause close to her heart.