Marsha Miller

Marsha Pauline Trigg Miller, of Columbia, Missouri, died on Sunday, September 28, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi at the Methodist Hospital on March 7, 1947. She grew up in Richton, Mississippi, the daughter of Marcus Leo Trigg, Sr. and Pauline Johnston Trigg.

She is survived by her beloved brother and sister-in-law, Sloan and Pam Trigg of Richton, MS. She is also survived by their daughters Paige Trigg and Carmen Trigg Davis. Carmen’s husband is Pastor Chad Davis of Hattiesburg and their twin daughters are Emma and Anna Davis, freshmen at the University of Southern Mississippi. Marsha is also survived by our dear friends Pat and Helen Atkinson who helped Jim get through Marsha’s illness with steadfast support and kindness.

Right from the beginning of her life, Marsha was a performer - singing, dancing and acting on stages in Richton and Hattiesburg and on the the tv station WDAM. She was a member of the Richton High School band and a majorette. Her music mentors and teachers were Mrs. Irene Stephens and Mrs. Mary Bob Walters. She was a lifelong member of the Richton United Methodist Church.

At the University of Southern Mississippi she received a B.A. and M.A. in Theatre and starred in musicals and plays for the theatre department under the mentorship of Dr. and Mrs. Blaine Quarnstrom. She graduated magna cum laude in 1973. Three days later on May 26, 1973 she married her husband of 52 years, James M. Miller IV of Woodville, Mississippi. He also received his graduate degree in theatre from the University of Southern Mississippi.

For the next forty years Marsha worked as an actress of musicals and plays at regional theatres across the country including the Sheffield Ensemble Theatre, Tulane Summer Lyric Theatre, and the University of Missouri Summer Repertory Theatre. She made her Broadway debut in the musical CLEAVAGE produced by Rita and Buddy Sheffield. She was a founding member of the Greenbriar Valley Theatre in Lewisburg, West Virginia. Marsha taught and directed plays at St. Leo College, Florida.

Marsha was a versatile and gifted actress performing in Shakespeare, Moliere, Oscar Wilde, Restoration Comedy, Musical Theatre and many contemporary plays. Some of her favorite roles were Mama Rose in GYPSY, Eva Peron in EVITA, Miss Mona in THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, Aldonza in MAN OF LA MANCHA, Amanda in PRIVATE LIVES, Reno Sweeney in ANYTHING GOES, The Witch in INTO THE WOODS, Lady Sneerwell in THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL and the mother in STEEL MAGNOLIAS. Marsha also worked for the School of Library Science and the Department of Theatre at the University of Missouri. In her honor, her name will be added to the University of Missouri Theatre Department scholarship. It will become the Jim and Marsha Miller Musical Theatre Scholarship.

Marsha’s husband is forever grateful for the love and the dazzling talent she brought into his life and into his career. Her acting gave the shows he directed a polish, style and depth that made him a better director and her love made him a better man.