Suzanne Miller Holcomb

Suzanne Miller was born on May 8, 1944 to Charles Milton Miller and Chiney Fullingim. She died at the age of 66, on Friday, the 8th of January, 2011 at St. David’s South Austin Hospital. Suzanne attended San Antonio schools and graduated from Jefferson High School. She received both her Bachelor of Science and her Master’s Degree in Counseling and Guidance from Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos. (Now Texas State). She did post graduate work at Vanderbilt University. Suzanne taught freshman chemistry classes while at South West Texas and began her public school career at Bandera High School. In 1969, Suzanne moved to Austin where she was employed at McCallum High School, first as a classroom teacher, and later a counselor. Where ever she went Suzanne was a talented, enthusiastic and visionary leader. While at McCallum, Suzanne volunteered to be a “cross over” teacher at “Old” Anderson High School in preparation for integration of the Austin Public Schools. As a teacher/counselor there she formed a bond with the students, many of whom would be assigned to McCallum the following year. Suzanne was instrumental in seeing that McCallum had a smooth beginning of school and that the students from Anderson were made welcome. Her ability to relate to students of other races was always awesome.

Following her tenure at McCallum, Dr. Akins, with whom she had worked at Anderson, courted and cajoled her unrelentingly to join him where he was now the first principal at the new L. C. Anderson High School. After Dr. Akins had called in all of the favors he could, Suzanne’s McCallum principal, W. A. Sloan, finally agreed to the transfer. Suzanne loved Mr. Sloan and admired and respected him above all the administrators for whom she ever worked. Being the person she was, she quietly transferred her initiative, her school spirit and her loyalty to the Dr. Akins and to Anderson. She worked there for many years as a Senior Counselor and was, from the beginning, involved in the International Baccalaureate Program at Anderson.

When Johnston High School became a magnet school and a number of students from Anderson were scheduled to attend there, Suzanne again volunteered to go with the students. She was instrumental in getting the new magnet school off to a fantastic start. When the magnet school was later moved, Suzanne chose to remain at Johnston and become very active in working with minority, underachieving and potential drop out students. She had a gift for working with all three and has said that these years were some of the best of her life. A teacher’s teacher she became involved working with teachers and curriculum and made many close friends among the faculty at Johnston. While there, she designed, wrote and coordinated the Renaissance Program, which turned out to be ahead of its time in curriculum for disadvantaged students.

Suzanne was married to her high school sweetheart, Dennis Allen Holcomb. They were members of Manchaca United Methodist Church and were married there December 17, 1988. Both Dennis and Suzanne loved music and were musically talented. They became very active in the church choir. Suzanne loved writing, directing, and anything theatrical. She had the mind of a scientist and the heart of an artist. She had no problem balancing religion and science in her life. Rather, she saw them as complimenting each other. She had a unique classroom teaching style and was a sincere and dedicated counselor. She was a lifelong Methodist, and enthusiastic Democrat, and was an activist who felt deeply about many causes. She loved to travel with her mother, her sister, and Dennis. Suzanne had a keen sense of history, both past and present and was especially intrigued by Native American History and the Civil War. As recently as this past October, she had a trip planned. Suzanne was faced with numerous medical problems and challenges that she faced bravely. She was a devoted caretaker to Joyce and never gave up the fight for her own life until all options were exhausted.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a half sister, Betty Miller and her husband, Dennis, whom she had loved since they were in Jr. High together. She is survived by her “baby sister”, Joyce Miller with whom she had a close personal and caring relationship. Suzanne has a large extended family that also survive her and will always remember her with love. This family includes her best friend, Judy Martin and Judy’s late husband, Earl and the Martin’s four children and their children. Suzanne and Judy were friends for 41 years and had talked on the telephone almost every day for the past ten years. After Suzanne and Joyce were homebound these calls kept her in touch, not only with Judy, but with the world, past, present and future. Claudia Locke was Suzanne’s friend from their early school friends in San Antonio. Malcolm Nelson was a friend from their cross over teaching days at the original Anderson. Later, Malcolm was choir director at Manchaca Methodist when Dennis and Suzanne were choir members there. She love to hear Malcolm sing and enthusiastically supported the church and school choirs which he directed. Randy Stano and Suzanne were both new teachers at McCallum in 1969. They are still close friends. Randy has been to visit her twice in recent years. Suzanne sometimes got depressed but she always bounced back. This time she could not. She suffered multiple major loses in her lifetime and always met them with grace.

Thanks to Pastor Dan Harrington, Associate Pastor at Manchaca who was able to talk to her the day before she died, even though they had not met before, and she could not respond verbally, his words meant a lot to her. Suzanne would want to give love, as well as thanks to her longtime caretaker, Jo Ann Pike and Jo Ann’s daughter, Tresa. Joyce and Suzanne looked forward to their visits and considered them the most trusted of friends. Suzanne loved flowers. Those who care to remember her in another way may contribute to the Manchaca United Methodist Church Choir, P.O. Box 460, Manchaca, Texas or a charity of your choice. Sleep well, my friend.