Johann Taylor Miller

1936-2025

Johann Taylor Miller passed away peacefully on April 21, 2025. She was born to E.V. and Nell Taylor in Dallas, Texas on Nov. 12, 1936. During World War II, her father E.V. served aboard LST-560 in the Pacific as chief machinist’s mate, while her mother Nell inspected P-51 Mustangs for North American Aviation. The family moved to Whitehaven, Tenn., in the early 1950s. Johann cultivated a love of books, movies, and singing through her childhood and teen years, graduating from Whitehaven High School in 1954.

In 1954, Johann met John Jackson Miller Sr., then serving as United States Marine sergeant, instructing in electronics at the Naval Air Station in Millington, Tenn. Following the end of John’s active service, he and Johann were married in Memphis on June 16, 1957. Following the births of their two children, Johann returned to college in the 1970s, graduating from Memphis State University with a library science degree in 1980.

Johann worked as a school librarian for the next two decades, first for Elliston High School before spending most of her career at Raleigh Bartlett Meadows in the Memphis City School system. She retired to her home in Cordova, Tenn., later moving to central Wisconsin where she spent her final years at The Willows. She loved books, mystery shows, cheering for the University of Memphis Tigers basketball team, and spending time with her grandchildren.

She leaves behind her daughter Kathryn Miller Summers (wife of Dr. Samuel Timothy Summers) of Collierville, Tenn., and her son John Jackson Miller, Jr., an author living in Wisconsin with wife Meredith Woodwell Miller, a librarian; grandchildren Laurie Summers Platfoot, Joseph Summers, Christopher Summers, Daniel Summers, John Miller III, Josephine Miller, and stepgrandson Timothy Summers; and six great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by John, her husband of 60 years.

She will be laid to rest in Tennessee alongside her late husband. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made in her name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.