Cleo Wyonne Patrick Miller, age 90, of La Porte, Texas, passed away on August 28, 2026. Though given the name Cleo, she rarely went by it; she was known to her family and closest friends as Wyonne or Pat Miller.
Born on October 19, 1935, in the rural town of lola, Illinois, Wyonne grew up on a farm where she learned the value of hard work and responsibility. As a teenager, she moved with her mother and siblings to Houston, graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School at just sixteen, and began working for Prudential Insurance in downtown Houston.
Her life changed forever in 1957 when she met James Miller at a University of Houston football game.They married the following year and built a loving home together, settling in La Porte in 1961, where she would live for the next sixty-five years.
Wyonne was a devoted wife and mother who showed her love through the small things she did every day for her family. In her free time, she loved to read and enjoyed learning and exploring new hobbies. Her interests included sewing, cake decorating, bowling, photography, craft painting, genealogy, and gardening. She also loved shopping, whether hunting for a bargain or choosing something for someone she loved.
Wyonne enjoyed many years in Beta Sigma Phi. She and James were active members of the La Porte Heritage Society, working to document and preserve the town's history. Later in life, she found joy traveling with James to places such as Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, China, London, Australia, and Africa, as well as many states across the U.S. She also loved spending time at the La Porte Senior Center, participating in water aerobics and socializing with friends.
She leaves behind her daughter, Deborah Berg (Jim); her brother, Stanley Patrick; her grandchildren, Christina Doyle (Tommy) and Jenna Price (Mark); her great-grandchildren, Emma, Ryland, Charlie, and Channing; and many nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her husband of sixty-six years, James Miller; her parents, Carl Patrick and Ruth (Cochran) Kowalsky; her stepfather, Earle Kowalsky; her son, Christopher Miller; and her sister, Joann Hassell.
Wyonne's legacy is one of love, creativity, and quiet strength. Her family will forever carry her in their hearts
