Dr. Damon J Miller

He is preceded in death by his parents. Dr. Miller will be sadly missed by his loving wife, Betty Yvonne Miller; beloved children, Pamela Jeanne Garrett and husband, Richard, Angela Yvonne Swann and husband, Darryl, and Damon J Miller II and wife, Debra; and sister, Lois Elaine Ledbetter and husband, Rev. Don Ledbetter. Damon and Betty were blessed with seven grandchildren, Christopher Cabiya, Joshua Cabiya and wife, Sarah, Leslie Garrett, Rebecca Allen and husband, Phillip, Caleb Swann, Ashley Miller, and Logan Miller and five great-grandchildren, Kyla Quinn Cabiya, Noah Mitchell Cabiya, Elizabeth June Cabiya, Damon Sawyer Cabiya, and Duke William Allen.

Dr. Miller graduated from Early High School, Early, Texas, received a Bachelor of Science in Education Degree and a Master of Education Degree from Howard Payne College (now Howard Payne University) in Brownwood, Texas and was awarded the Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Psychology Degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

He was an outstanding athlete in both high school and college. In his senior year, he was a leader on the Early High School basketball team which advanced to the University Interscholastic League State basketball tournament in Austin. In that year, he was selected to participate in the Texas High School Coaches Association basketball tournament also held in Austin. In addition, during his senior year in high school, not only was he an outstanding 120-yard-high hurdler, he was undefeated in the running high jump while competing with athletes from virtually every major high school in Texas. During that undefeated year, he also broke the existing state high jump record for Class B schools. While at Howard Payne College, he was named to the All-Conference basketball team all four years and won two conference championships in the running high jump and placed second twice. In 2004, he was honored by being inducted into the Howard Payne University Sports Hall of Fame.

Damon spent his entire professional life as an educator. He was a high school mathematics teacher and head basketball coach at Lipan and Stephenville high schools. After twice being awarded a National Defense Education Act fellowship to study at the University of Texas in Austin, he served as a counselor in the Killeen School District, followed by serving at the Gary Job Corps Center, San Marcos as a Vocational Counselor. Following his Job Corps experience, Damon was employed as an Instructor in the graduate Counseling and Guidance program at Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University), San Marcos where he spent the last 31 years of his teaching career. He served the last ten years of his university service as the Graduate Advisor to all graduate students who were seeking a major in the field of Counseling and Guidance. Upon his retirement, he was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus of Southwest Texas State University. For many years, Damon was a Texas licensed Psychologist and a Licensed Professional Counselor. In addition, he served seventeen years as an enlisted man and officer in the Texas National Guard.

In addition to his love of teaching, Damon loved traveling with his family touring the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Greece, many Greek islands, Turkey, Egypt, Alaska, Great Britain, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Canada, and numerous other countries in Europe. They went on many cruises. He and Betty loved to square dance, country dance, and frequently attended numerous weekend western swing music concerts all over the state.

The family will receive friends from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M., Sunday, November 12, 2017, at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home followed by a Funeral Service at 11:00 A.M., in the Chapel officiated by Pastor David Sweet and Rev. Don Ledbetter.

Interment will be at 1:00 P.M., Monday, November 13, 2017, at Trickham Cemetery in Trickham, Texas.

Honoring Damon as pallbearers will be James Mock, Darryl Swann, Richard Garrett, Josh Cabiya, Chris Cabiya, Fred Scott, Logan Miller, and Caleb Swann.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like contributions to be made in Damon's memory to a charity of choice.