Kaye was born an only child in the small town of Bismarck, Missouri February 18, 1941 to Omer E. and Frances L. Francis where she grew up a few houses from her maternal grandmother, Gladys Lucy Johnson, (Robert Frank Johnson) who Kaye credits with instilling high values and a deep love for England.
Oddly, Kaye did everything in three's. She graduated from high school in three years, then graduated from William Woods College in Fulton, Missouri, followed by becoming a flight attendant for Trans World Airlines for three years. Later she had three boys in three years.
Kaye was married her late husband B. Glenn Miller for 33 1/3 years, a captain for TWA, whom she met on an early morning flight from Kansas City to Washington D.C. They were married February 27,1963 in Miami, Oklahoma. They lived in Prairie Village, Kansas for 33 years where she raised her boys; Brent , Todd and Trevor Miller along with her step children Carol, Glenda (Liz), Glenn and Monte Miller.
Kaye and Glenn traveled extensively throughout Europe but she always favored the English countryside where Kaye made many friends, ultimately leading her to becoming a collector of English antiques. Kaye credits Sidney Hahn of Hahn Galleries (London), good friends Baden Marston (Randolph Antiques) of Hadligh, Suffolk, Frank Lumb, his son Tony Lumb of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, Joy and Steven Jarrett (Witney) and Simon Phillips (Ronald Phillips - London) who guided her passion for English period antiques.
Kaye opened Charlecote Antique Gallery September 3, 1980 in a 300 square foot space. She later tripled her space and moved the shop to Crestwood. Kaye and her son Todd have been proprietors of the business for 39 years. The name Charlecote comes from Kaye’s maternal grandmother’s 16th Century country house near Stratford-Upon-Avon (Warwick shire, England), now in the care of the British National Trust.
Today Charlecote is known for rigorously vetting for authenticity and merits of quality colour and condition and is one of a small number of American antique dealers that are members of CINOA, as well as a member of LAPADA and the Antique Council. Todd will continue operating the family business.
In her immediate family Kaye leaves behind her Mother Frances Lucy Francis (age 99, of Village Shalom in Overland Park, KS); sons Brent Courtney Miller (San Diego, CA), Todd Spencer Miller (Leawood, KS), Trevor Francis Miller (Jessy) & two adored grandsons Morgan Francis and Lincoln Johnson (Merriam, Ks); cousins Ann Herrero (White Plains, New York) and Colin Johnson (Lake Wales, Florida); step children Carol Mitchell, Glenda "Liz" Miller, Glenn Miller and Monte Miller (Kansas City).
She also leaves behind her extended family Carolyn and Gary Hanson of Overland Park, Cori Pohrer Haris (Charles) (Overland Park), John Kemp, Jr. (West Point, Virginia), Sister Mary Ellen Hubbard (Arnold, Missouri) and God daughter Jennifer Hanson Miget (Scott) (Lenexa), and many other close friends and loves ones.
The funeral service will be Saturday, March 9th, 2019, 11:00 a.m. at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 6401 Wornall Road Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64113.
In lieu of flowers, Kaye asked that gifts be made in her memory to Barnes Jewish Siteman Center Proton of Saint Louis, Missouri or St. Luke's Hospices House, Kansas City, Missouri or a charity of your choice
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