Dr. Marianna Miller

Marianna, 84, passed away peacefully at her home on November 3, 2012. Despite being in excellent health for most of her life, she developed Cushing’s Syndrome, followed by metastasized adrenal cancer in the liver, a very rare form of cancer.

Marianna grew up on a farm near Goldsboro, NC, the daughter of Floyd and Bertha Morris. During childhood she loved school, reading and learning. She dreamed of one day seeing the places described in stories she read. Her love of learning continued throughout life.

Marianna attended Meredith College in Raleigh, NC, graduating with a B.A. in Home Economics in 1949. In October 1947, at a Methodist Youth Fellowship meeting, she met Jack Miller, then a student at NC State. They were married on December 21, 1950. She could not have known at that first meeting that he would become her cherished husband of 62 years or imagined the team they would be for decades.

The summer of 1948, she worked with the Free Will Baptist Children’s Home. As a fund raiser for the orphanage, she drove, and was responsible 24/7 for, a group of the children who travelled throughout eastern NC singing at a different church each night and staying in homes of church members. Marianna was the dietician for the 4-H Club Camp in Manteo, NC in the summer of 1949. Then through 1950 she was assistant home agent and 4-H agent for Randolph County, NC.

After her marriage to Jack, she taught sewing at the Wisconsin Reform School for Girls near Madison while he completed his Ph.D. Their first daughter was born the night after his final exam. After a year at the University of Illinois, they moved to Athens in 1953.

Marianna stayed home with her children until the four were in school. Her degree in Home Economics and growing up during the Depression served her well in this period. She was an excellent seamstress and cook and took pride in those duties. She canned and froze most of the vegetables and many of the fruits for the family table, made hers and the children’s clothes, including costumes for her daughters’ dance recitals, and cut family members’ hair. Earlier she had typed Jack’s PhD dissertation and Master’s thesis and later many of his articles for publication when secretarial support was insufficient. They also worked together on many enterprises, including land and tree farm purchases and management.

Marianna, a hard worker, was often compared to The Little Engine That Could, a favorite book of her children. Whatever the task, she found a way to get things done; she believed that if something was worth doing, it was worth doing well. When Marianna and Jack built their house, to a considerable extent they literally built it themselves. They designed and drew plans and did much of the physical labor required to erect the brick ranch. Marianna finished sheetrock, woodwork and hardwood floors; helped pour concrete; painted walls; and then made the drapes and upholstery covers for the home furnishings. She proceeded to fill the house with love and laughter through her respect, admiration and devotion to Jack and her unending guidance and nurturing of her children. Her inspiration and encouragement of her children lead them to much achievement and to lead healthful, helpful and Christ-like lives.

Even though Marianna and Jack worked hard at their careers, they took time to enjoy life and each other’s companionship. They played bridge, square danced, and travelled throughout the U.S. (46 states), Canada and Europe. On these trips, Marianna saw places she had read about during her formative years.

When her children were in school, Marianna returned to UGA for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and her 6-year certificate, in elementary education. She taught first grade at Alps Road School from 1967 to 1988. She had a particular enthusiasm for sharing her love of reading with new students and served as an inspiration and mentor for students and fellow faculty members alike.

During her tenure at Alps Road, she was named Clarke County Teacher of the Year, an honor that meant much to her. Later she was the Instructional Lead Teacher at Statham Elementary School for 9 years from 1988 to 1997. When she retired from Statham Elementary, among the gifts she received was a rocking chair (although her co-workers commented that they knew she would be too active to merely sit in a chair). Her retirement ceremony, which included dedication of a bench area to her, was well attended with many students, teachers, administrators and family members.

Marianna was a woman of strong faith and she lived her faith every day of her life. She was fond of quoting from Psalms “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24). She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Athens from 1953 until her death. They attended weekly services, Sunday School, and Wednesday night suppers, taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, and participated fully in the life of the church with friends and family. Marianna made sure her children attended Sunday school and church, as well as Vacation Bible School, and later the Methodist Youth Fellowship. When her grandchildren were old enough, she took them as well to Bible School.

For more than 30 years, Marianna enjoyed playing the piano for the Tuck Class at the First United Methodist Church, a class which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. Even after the side effects of the Cushing’s Syndrome forced her to leave that cherished position, she continued to attend services and was an active member of the Fellowship Class, serving as its president for the last 3 years she attended.

Marianna was an avid bridge player, and played regularly in two women’s groups, a couples bridge group, bridge-a-rama and a marathon bridge group, and, after computers were invented, online bridge. Family bridge games were a highlight of many gatherings.

A strong advocate of education, not only in her professional career, but in her own life as well, Marianna earned her Doctor of Education from UGA at age 56, graduating in the same ceremony as her son, Bill, graduated with his law degree.

Marianna always sought ways to remain close to family. She was one of the first in the family to get an email address and begin corresponding with others in the family, assisting each of them with the “new” technology, now so common. For years she had written a weekly letter to her out-of-town family and the new technology was a welcome change from the manual typewriter and carbon paper she had used in the beginning.

She also began a road race tradition that has continued for four generations. She was one of the first in the family to run the Peachtree Road Race and did so with many of her children and grandchildren over the years, running it into her mid-70s. She ran a 5K most weekends rather than training in the traditional manner and enjoyed meeting the other runners at the races.

Marianna was always ready to help people in anyway she could. She welcomed her children’s and grandchildren’s friends into her home and often made homemade pancakes or waffles for them, which many of them still remember. Many who came as visitors for Sunday lunch have become lifelong friends.

She is survived by her husband, William Jack Miller, Sr.; their four children, Virginia McGuffey and husband, Wade; Nancy Jones and husband, Randall; Barbara Goetz and husband, Vic; and William Jack (Bill) Miller, Jr., and wife, Kim; by her two sisters, Liz Thigpen and Margaret Batchelor, and one brother, Donald Morris and wife, Lois; by ten grandchildren, Mack McGuffey and wife Laura, Michelle Conti and husband David, Jennifer McGuffey, Preston Jones and wife Meredith, Alana Jones, Jean Mangan and husband, Trevor, Anne Goetz, Harrison Miller, Maggie Miller and Katie Miller; and by five great grandchildren, Madison, Elizabeth, Nora, Denver and Rebecca.

The family will be receiving friends from 3:30 to 5:30 pm on Saturday November 10, 2012 at Bernstein’s Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Athens, Georgia on Sunday November 11, 2012, at 3:00 pm. The family will receive friends immediately after. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Fellowship Sunday School Class, the Tuck Sunday School Class, and their spouses. The family requests that in lieu of flowers you consider donations either to the Fellowship Class or the Tuck Class of the First United Methodist Church, 327 N. Lumpkin St, Athens, GA 30601 of Athens or to a charity of the giver’s choice.

Online condolences may be offered at www.bernsteinfuneralhome.com

Bernstein Funeral Home and Cremation Service is in charge of arrangements.