Julia Mae Miller

Julia was born on September 29, 1933, in Dothan, Alabama to John Thomas Clark and Margan Clark Hardrick. She graduated with the highest honors from Florida A&M University where she pledged her beloved sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, and was crowned Miss FAMU her senior year. Julia received her Master of Arts degree in Education from Colorado College. She was a natural and enthusiastic educator, teaching English and drama to scores of children from the 6th grade through senior high school. She retired from her tenured teaching position at General William Mitchell High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1988.

Julia loved bowling (with multiple trophies to show for it), entertaining guests, and singing along to Sam Cooke. Though her voice was a bit pitchy, her emotional delivery of songs such as “A Change is Gonna Come” and “My Baby’s Coming Home Tomorrow” would have made Sam proud. She was a lover of Shakespeare and all things literary. And, whilst she protested the work in her later years, she could cook up a mean Southern dinner, including those chitlins, much to the dismay of a few of her daughters. She traveled as a military wife throughout the U.S. including to Alaska, Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado.

Survivors include her devoted husband of 65 years, Lou Jey Miller, and her four daughters, Audrey MillerHallett of Washington, DC, Letitia Miller of The Woodlands, Texas, Patricia Jewel Miller Gardner of Chandler, Arizona, and Kathy Woods (son-in-law Monty Woods) of Phoenix, Arizona; three grandchildren: Michele (grandson-in-law Turner), Jey, and Collin and two great-grandchildren, Faith and Cora. Julia was always “Auntie” to her many nieces and nephews, and she was a second mother to her children’s friends and the offspring of her and Lou’s many, many friends made throughout their lives.

Julia expressed her wishes to be cremated, and funeral services will be held on November 13, 2020, at Green Acres Mortuary and Cemetery, 401 North Hayden Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85257.

Our family wishes to express our deepest appreciation to all of our family and friends who have loved and nurtured us through the years. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Colorado Springs Alumni Chapter, P.O. Box 15235, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80935, or you can plant a tree in memory of Julia.