Virginia Miller

Virginia Mercer Miller FISHERSVILLE, VA Virginia Mercer Miller died on July 1, 2015 in Fishersville, Virginia. She was born on December 31, 1921 in Baltimore, Maryland, daughter of John Bailey and Bessie Mercer. She attended public schools in Baltimore and graduated from Western High School with honors. An excellent student, she skipped several grades in school and was awarded the Peabody Gold Medal, which is given to the top students in the Baltimore public secondary schools. She attended the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. She was married in San Francisco, California on July 3, 1942 to her college sweetheart, Major Alan Randolph Miller, USMC of Washington, DC. She then moved to Pacific Palisades, California to be closer to her husband, who was serving in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Their son Jim was born in 1944. At the end of the war they returned to the east coast, where her husband resigned his commission and became affiliated with the United States Department of Agriculture. Their son John was born in Baltimore in 1946. In 1958 they moved to Charleston, West Virginia, and it was there that she completed her college education and received a BA degree in Education. She taught middle school science and math until her husband retired in 1973. They moved to Middlebrook, Virginia where they built a home on family land. Virginia was a faithful member of Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church for more than forty years. She was a volunteer for the American Heart Association and participated in many community activities in the Middlebrook area. Her husband, Alan died in 2011 after 69 years of marriage. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents and by her sister and brother-in-law Elizabeth and Francis Wooden. She is survived by her two sons: Dr. James A. Miller and his wife Betty of Savannah, Georgia and John R. Miller, an attorney and his wife Maggie of Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition she is survived by four grandchildren: John R. Miller, Jr. and wife Shari of Greenwich, Connecticut, Joseph A. Miller and wife Lisa of Charlotte, North Carolina, Adrienne M. Uphoff and her husband Jeff of Richmond, Virginia, and Catherine C. Miller of Boulder, Colorado; and seven great-grandchildren: Maia and Tristan Uphoff; Lyla and Ella Miller; and Anna, Alyssa and Jack Miller. Her greatest love was to be with family and friends. They have been a joy and a comfort to her throughout her life. Private burial will be at New Providence Church in Raphine, Virginia. Plans are incomplete at this time. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church, 334 Mt Tabor Road, Staunton, VA 24401. Henry Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.