Sylvia Seale Miller

Sylvia was born in Palestine, Texas, to George Madison and May Pearl Seale. Sylvia grew up in Centerville and was Valedictorian of her high school class.

Sylvia attended the University of Texas in Austin, where she met Max Miller, a Naval ROTC student. Two years later the couple married. Sylvia finished her degree in History with Highest Honors at California State while Max fulfilled naval duties, then Sylvia taught music to put Max through a Ph.D. program at UT.

Sylvia was devoted to history and genealogy. She held multiple offices, including President, of the local chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas; served as President of the Daughters of the American Revolution; and was Vice-President of Descendants of the Old Three Hundred (direct descendants of the original 300 colonists Stephen F. Austin brought into what is now Texas). Sylvia was also an active member of the National Huguenot Society, Daughters of the American Colonists, the Navy League of the United States, and the Austin’s Woman’s Club.

Sylvia’s decades of service with organizations devoted to Texas history led to her being granted the Yellow Rose of Texas Award in 2017. This award is given to Texas women who, through community service, have made significant contributions to the preservation of Texas history.

Sylvia and Max shared a devotion to excellence in education and were instrumental in the creation of the Foundation for Biblical Studies. Through this foundation, the couple helped establish the University of Texas Department of Religious Studies as well as bolster UT’s Institute for the Study of Antiquity and Christian Origins. In 2015, a scholarship for Religious Studies was established in Sylvia’s name, and in 2016, Sylvia and Max were awarded the Pro Bene Meritus Award by the University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts, the highest honor given by the Liberal Arts College.

Sylvia was an avid Longhorn fan and attended many UT football and basketball games. Max and Sylvia met at University Avenue Church of Christ and remained members during their time together, participating through Zoom during the last few years as Sylvia’s health made attendance in person challenging.

Sylvia is preceded in death by her parents, George and May Pearl Seale. She is survived by her husband, Max Karlson Miller; their adult children Cynthia (Dean) Rindy and Mark Miller; grandchildren Violetta Kristina Rindy and Sofia Marie Rindy; and her sister, Kathy S. Keeling.

A funeral service will be held for Sylvia on January 6, 2025, at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 5416 Parkcrest Drive, Austin, Texas. A visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the funeral service will begin at 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Max and Sylvia Miller Scholarship Fund in the College of Liberal Arts at The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, Mail Stop A3000, Austin, TX 78712.