Laura Sanderson Miller

Laura Virginia Sanderson was born to Elizabeth LeRoy Sanderson on April 26, 1943, in Augusta, GA while her dad, Lt. Col, Charles (Sandy) Sanderson was chief engineer for the railroads that supported Patton during World War II. When he returned stateside in 1945, Laura was blessed to meet him and welcomed him back alongside her two older brothers, Hugh Milton and Charles LeRoy Sanderson.

Laura earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Agnes Scott College (1965) and first worked at Harvard Medical school on ovarian function until she met and married William Laubach Miller on June 29, 1968. She worked in a lipid laboratory at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (68-70) and then studied cholesterol analysis at the National Heart Institute, Bethesda, MD. (70-72).

Laura became a full-time mother when she gave birth to her daughter, Laura Virginia Miller at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on Sept 23, 1972, in Washington D.C. Later, she gave birth to her son, Jonathan William Miller on May 19, 1975, in Madison, WI. The family moved to Cary, NC in 1976 where Laura dedicated her life to raising her children. She was deeply involved in every aspect of their lives from cheering them on through numerous sporting events, dance recitals, and violin lessons to their spiritual upbringing.

She was also involved in the surrounding community, from Henry Adams Elementary PTA events to community outreach. This passion led to a collaboration with the Principal Violist of the North Carolina Symphony, Hugh Partridge, in establishing and growing the Triangle Youth Philharmonic (TYP) where she was president from 1988 to 1998. Under her early leadership, TYP flourished and has since expanded into more than five major youth orchestras, serving over 7,000 high school musicians to date.

When her children began college Laura started working as a premier H&R Block Tax preparer. Over the next 25 years, she helped navigate clients through more than 7,500 tax returns! During this time, she also participated in a 26 year-long international Presbyterian mission (Korea/USA/Bolivia) where she often acted as a pharmacist giving medicines to thousands of Bolivians.

In retirement Laura moved with her husband to Glenaire, Cary, NC where she loved playing bridge, participating in Quiz Bowls and enjoying her many friendships, new and old.

She is survived by her husband, Bill Miller, her children and their spouses, Laura V. Miller and Fernando Rodriguez; Jonathan Miller and Erika Poma and her grandchildren, Sanders Miller-Poma, Benjamin Rodriguez and Mina Rodriguez.

Memorial tributes and messages of sympathy can be left by clicking the "Add a Memory" box below. Brown Wynne of Cary is honored to serve the Miller family.