James Calvin Miller

When James Calvin Miller walked into the room, those in his company felt a palpable energy. This was just one of many qualities James had and how he impacted those around him. He was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if he wanted to share in all of their experiences, revel in their lives, and celebrate their discoveries. James was tireless and seemed to have a boundless enthusiasm that served him well throughout his life.

Growing up for James was like one big burst of spontaneity personified. He would join in with friends and family in just about anything. This made his life quite interesting and led to what would be a wide variety of memories.

James was born on July 29, 1954 in Hays, Kansas, the son of Dixie Reynolds Miller and the late Calvin Webster Miller. He and his sisters, Marla Miller Mooney and Jeanie Miller Lanneau, grew up primarily in Louisiana and Mississippi. James had a great sense of humor and was a natural entertainer, able to keep the people around him amused with stories and tales. While some who knew James might have described him as an idealist, his friends and family understood well that he was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities.

James was very accepting and supportive of his family. He was perceived as the central person in his family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, he was typically the person who tried to bring resolution and harmony. This quality, along with his quick wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of people were traits that drew the admiration of others and served James well in his adult life.

Even as a young boy, James was able to empathize and identify with many different kinds of people. This quality drew him into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. He was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with his peers. He was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. He enjoyed playing sports as a youngster, especially basketball, baseball and football. An active child, he belonged to the Boy Scouts and his church Youth Group. One of his favorite hobbies was fishing.

During his high school years, James responded enthusiastically to any new project and was normally in search of one adventure after another. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1972. He was a very good student, and generally did well in his courses. James absorbed as much as he could from all of his teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems using his imagination to master his assignments. For him, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to his ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered James a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to him to discuss just about anything. His favorite subject was math and favorite instructor was Coach Beech. He was actively involved in several sports while in high school and was chosen for the All-Star Baskeball team.

For James, his life was just about as busy outside of high school as it was inside. With a talent for making friends easily, James was very sociable and could blend without effort into any number of different social groups. Assertive and outgoing, he was easy to know and often demonstrated a deep concern for others. He always seemed aware of what was going on with people around him and throughout his life he made many, many friends. Some of his best friends during high school were Mike Gross and Hardy Geoghegan.

James was very adaptable, a quality that helped him make the transition from high school to college with little difficulty. He did well in college, as a result of his love of learning and the ability to tackle new theories and concepts, and received an undergraduate degree in respiratory therapy. This love of learning and desire to take on new challenges helped him as he waded his way through all of his classes.

At the age of 19, James exchanged vows with the love of his life, Rene' Marie "Cissy" Geoghegan, on November 17, 1973 at the Lovely Lane-Methodist Church in Natchez, Mississippi.

James's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in his ability to make his new family happy. He was quite sensitive towards Cissy's needs, showing his constant concern and fondness. James was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served him well in helping to nurture his family. He and Cissy were blessed with the two children, daughter, Melissa Miller Young, and son, Justin Webster Miller. Several years later, Melissa and her husband, Richard, and Justin and his wife, Jeannie, gave James his two greatest gifts-his grandsons, Garrett Young and Luke Miller.

James was a natural and creative parent who wanted to provide his family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For him, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of his life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in their home. James's skill at understanding his family members’ feelings, his sensitivity to their needs, and his gift for gentle persuasion enabled him to find novel solutions to any of the various family problems or situations that might have arisen.

Throughout his life, James was actively involved in professional and community organizations. Always able to build a consensus, he usually seemed to be the person in the middle of things, working to achieve goals. Those who had the opportunity to work with him usually agreed that when you were involved in an organization with him, it was as entertaining as anything you could imagine.

James was uplifted by new ideas. New possibilities always seemed to excite him. These were traits which made him an exceptional worker. James’s primary occupation was working in the oil field and building contruction. Early on, he was employed as a respiratory therapist for Woman's Hospital 1975-1978. Afterwards with Amoco, Southern Petroleum Specialties and was also the owner of Miller Construction.

Like in other aspects of his life, James was able to make friends easily in the workplace. He was enterprising, inventive, and often energized when working against deadlines. His colleagues saw him as a supporter and a mentor.

James loved to have a broad variety of activities in his life, and he pursued numerous hobbies. Some of his favorite hobbies were woodworking, playing guitar and golf. He also enjoyed vacations to Destin, Florida with his family.

James derived much satisfaction from participating in and watching sports. His charisma, supportive nature, and ability to help all made perfect attributes for enjoying a great many sporting activities. He also enjoyed watching his favorite team, LSU, play football whenever he got the opportunity.

James was a man who was devoted to his faith, and was a member of Wells Methodist Church.

James Calvin Miller departed this life on Sunday, April 17, 2011 while surrounded by his loving family while at his mother's residence in Brandon, Mississippi.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to James. He was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. He had a knack for being clever, creative, and witty. For others, he was a joy to be around. While he was often fiercely independent, many others looked to him for inspiration, leadership, wisdom, and even courage. James Calvin Miller was always more than willing to share life's experiences with those he loved.