User:Mistralton/Millie Ranther

Millie Ranther, born Mildred Anna Fredrick, was born o.n October, 23, 1907 in Hartford Connecticut to Sarah Caroline Fredrick and Garrett Nicolas Fredrick, a doctor who was born in Great Britain. Millie grew up in Hartford for the first four years of her life, but moved to New York City at age four after here father acquired a private practice there. Millie had two brothers Patrick John (born 1905) and Daniel Erik (born 1909), and a sister, Mary Faith (born 1904), but only Daniel Erik survived infancy. Millie was raised Roman Catholic, but converted to Anglican form of Christianity at age 17 after a visit to London with her paternal aunt, Victoria Anne Smythe, who later supported her in her studies. At age 19, Millie announced her desire to gain a college degree in archaeology and become an archaeologist, much to her parents dismay. Her father threatened to kick her out of the house if she commenced with her goal,but she persisted and moved in with her aunt Victoria in London to attend Oxford University. At age twenty-six, she became the first women to graduate from Oxford with a degree in archaeology. Working through the university, she traveled to Yucatan in Mexico, where she studied and became an expert on Mayan and Toltec religion and mythology. While on one of these archaeological expeditions in 1939, Millie met James Howard Ranther, a British archaeologist and specialist on Mayan society and political affairs. They quickly became friends, and on March, 12, 1942, the two married in London. The next year, Millie's father fell gravely ill with brain cancer! and she and John quickly traveled to New York. Though they didn't make it before he died, they decided to stay in New York and both acquired teaching positions at Colombia University. On May, 12, 19, Millie gave birth to a daughter, whom she Christened Louisa Elaine Mary Ranther. Sadly, Millie died on May, 21, 1946 from complications of the birth. John Ranther decided to honor her by establishing the Mildred A. Ranther Fund for Central American Archaeological Studies, which has helped hundreds of archaeologists study Mayan ruins, including those who succeeded in deciphering Mayan written script. Her daughter later went on to become an anthropologist specializing in Mayan civilization, and was also the American ambassador to Mexico for three years from 1967-1970. In 2001, Millie was postmuthsly awarded the Howard Carter Award for Archaeological Achievement, as well as the Mexican Premio de Estudios Históricos y Culturales de México. She is renowned for her Mayan religious studies, and for her discovery of the 'thunder god', now known as Itzcoatl, who is regarded as the chief Mayan deity.