Obituary for Carolyn Jane Miller (Miller)
Carolyn Jane Miller passed away on Saturday, April 17th. Carolyn was born the first of three daughters to William Harley Miller, Jr. and Sarah Lavinia Miller on June 30, 1937. She was predeceased by Gilbert B. Miller, her husband of 43 wonderful years. She is survived by her three children Kimberly “Kim” Jane Wagner, Sarah “Sally” Oakley Golliday (Harry), and Harley Opha Wagner (Shauna) and stepchildren Gilbert “Benton” Miller, Jr. (Shelley), Gary Henkle Miller (Debbie), Allen Radcliff Miller (Prue) and sisters Diane Rebecca Dailey (Jimmy) and Judith “Judy” Marie Miller. Although she loved all the family, it was the grand children who stole her heart: Sarah (Kim); Carly and Miller (Sally); and William and Wesley (Harley) as well as Christopher, Hope and Joshua (Benton); Grant, Aaron, Serina, Shawn and Shannon (Gary); and Kathleen, Sarah, and Taylor (Allen).
Carolyn’s endearing personality, elegance, and scholastic success lead the Martinsburg High School graduate to West Virginia University in the Fall of 1955. Later that year, she joined the Delta Gamma Sorority and soon after was bestowed the honor of being crowned Miss West Virginia in 1956. That honor led to Carolyn representing her beloved state of West Virginia in the famed Miss America Pageant, then held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, with Bert Parks hosting. Subsequently, she participated in that summer’s USO tour. Four years later, she graduated from WVU with a degree in Speech, Drama, and English.
Carolyn’s modeling and pageant experience, coupled with her education, lead her to the small screen with appearances on shows like: The Today Show, The Tonight Show, Arthur Godfrey and Friends, and The Ed Sullivan Show. She also landed theatrical roles in productions such as: The Lark, Witness for the Prosecution, Sabrina Fair, Picnic, Death of a Salesman, The Matchmaker, Our Town, My Three Angels, Waltz of the Toreadors, Teahouse of the August Moon and The Totem Pole Playhouse in PA where she worked with Jean Stapleton, Bill Putch, Sandy Dennis, Lee Meriweather and Doug Robinson among others.
In August of 1972 Carolyn returned home and began a career in education, accepting a teaching position at Hedgesville High School. For the next 14 years, she used her theatrical talent and experience to head up the Drama Department while also teaching English. Her love for the stage and her students alike was an incredible combination that helped her to coax the very best out of all the aspiring thespians. She successfully produced wonderful productions of plays such as The Mousetrap, A Flea in Her Ear, Bus Stop, and Our Town. Through her dedication and vision, she inspired her Hedgesville Theatre Troupe to win the West Virginia Region IV Theatre Competition an astounding 11 years in a row, and that is only the beginning. They went on to win: the WV State Drama Festival competition in 1977, 1983, and 1984 and finished in the top five 4 other years, “Best Play Overall” award in the Southeastern Theatre Conference in 1978 and placed third in 1984. The HHS troupe also performed at the International Thespian Society Conference in 1978 and 1984.
Her theatre troops were not the only ones to earn recognition. Carolyn’s dedication to her students was not overlooked during her tenure. She was awarded the Berkeley County Schools (BCS) Business Partnership Award for Outstanding Theatre Instruction 1984, the Distinguished Service Award of Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in West Virginia 1985, and the Berkeley County Schools Teacher of the Year Award for 1987-88. She was not just noticed by award committees, however; she was also noticed by another HHS teacher named Gilbert Miller.
In 1972, Carolyn and Gilbert met in the halls of HHS and from there a lifelong love affair ensued. They married in August of 1977 and were side by side for the next 43 plus years, until Gilbert’s passing a little over three short weeks prior to Carolyn’s on March 24, 2021. Their love story was the likes of which you might see played out on the Hollywood big screen. A second marriage for both, yet they each found a second chance at love and life that most people only dream about and boy, did they get it right! Their love was bigger than themselves and an inspiration to all those who had the pleasure to watch them together.
With Gilbert by her side, the curtains closed on Carolyn’s teaching career when she retired in 1988. She continued to be involved in the theatre by lending her expertise to multiple organizations including: The West Virginia Theatre Conference, where she was the first woman to be named president of the WVTC. The Southeastern Theatre Conference (Secondary Representative from West Virginia on the Board and Secretary), The International Thespian Society (West Virginia State Trustee), the WVU Advisory Board for the College of Creative Arts, and the WVU Theatre Alumni Board (member).
After retiring, Carolyn dedicated more and more time to her beloved family. Whether it was numerous holiday gatherings with her children and grandchildren, hosting summer pool parties for all, attending Grandparents Days, birthdays, or little league games, she was always there. Family was everything to Carolyn and she was the proud matriarch of the family. She also had lifelong devotion to her alma mater, West Virginia University, where she attended numerous football and basketball games throughout her life and in her later years never missing one on the television.
Carolyn was the epitome of class and grace, a living example of elegance. Her life touched and affected so many. From her large family to that of her immense community contributions to the multiple generations of students that she touched, her legacy and beautiful life lived and shared shall endure on, well beyond her passing.
There will be a small family funeral service for Carolyn on April 23rd. The service will be available on the Trinity Episcopal Church web page: https://trinitymartinsburg.org
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that you consider making a contribution in her memory to the Gilbert and Carolyn Miller Education Fund at the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation, 229 East Martin Street, Suite 4, Martinsburg, WV 25401. The family is establishing this fund to provide financial support to Hedgesville High School students.
Arrangements made by Brown Funeral Home.
Carolyn’s endearing personality, elegance, and scholastic success lead the Martinsburg High School graduate to West Virginia University in the Fall of 1955. Later that year, she joined the Delta Gamma Sorority and soon after was bestowed the honor of being crowned Miss West Virginia in 1956. That honor led to Carolyn representing her beloved state of West Virginia in the famed Miss America Pageant, then held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, with Bert Parks hosting. Subsequently, she participated in that summer’s USO tour. Four years later, she graduated from WVU with a degree in Speech, Drama, and English.
Carolyn’s modeling and pageant experience, coupled with her education, lead her to the small screen with appearances on shows like: The Today Show, The Tonight Show, Arthur Godfrey and Friends, and The Ed Sullivan Show. She also landed theatrical roles in productions such as: The Lark, Witness for the Prosecution, Sabrina Fair, Picnic, Death of a Salesman, The Matchmaker, Our Town, My Three Angels, Waltz of the Toreadors, Teahouse of the August Moon and The Totem Pole Playhouse in PA where she worked with Jean Stapleton, Bill Putch, Sandy Dennis, Lee Meriweather and Doug Robinson among others.
In August of 1972 Carolyn returned home and began a career in education, accepting a teaching position at Hedgesville High School. For the next 14 years, she used her theatrical talent and experience to head up the Drama Department while also teaching English. Her love for the stage and her students alike was an incredible combination that helped her to coax the very best out of all the aspiring thespians. She successfully produced wonderful productions of plays such as The Mousetrap, A Flea in Her Ear, Bus Stop, and Our Town. Through her dedication and vision, she inspired her Hedgesville Theatre Troupe to win the West Virginia Region IV Theatre Competition an astounding 11 years in a row, and that is only the beginning. They went on to win: the WV State Drama Festival competition in 1977, 1983, and 1984 and finished in the top five 4 other years, “Best Play Overall” award in the Southeastern Theatre Conference in 1978 and placed third in 1984. The HHS troupe also performed at the International Thespian Society Conference in 1978 and 1984.
Her theatre troops were not the only ones to earn recognition. Carolyn’s dedication to her students was not overlooked during her tenure. She was awarded the Berkeley County Schools (BCS) Business Partnership Award for Outstanding Theatre Instruction 1984, the Distinguished Service Award of Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in West Virginia 1985, and the Berkeley County Schools Teacher of the Year Award for 1987-88. She was not just noticed by award committees, however; she was also noticed by another HHS teacher named Gilbert Miller.
In 1972, Carolyn and Gilbert met in the halls of HHS and from there a lifelong love affair ensued. They married in August of 1977 and were side by side for the next 43 plus years, until Gilbert’s passing a little over three short weeks prior to Carolyn’s on March 24, 2021. Their love story was the likes of which you might see played out on the Hollywood big screen. A second marriage for both, yet they each found a second chance at love and life that most people only dream about and boy, did they get it right! Their love was bigger than themselves and an inspiration to all those who had the pleasure to watch them together.
With Gilbert by her side, the curtains closed on Carolyn’s teaching career when she retired in 1988. She continued to be involved in the theatre by lending her expertise to multiple organizations including: The West Virginia Theatre Conference, where she was the first woman to be named president of the WVTC. The Southeastern Theatre Conference (Secondary Representative from West Virginia on the Board and Secretary), The International Thespian Society (West Virginia State Trustee), the WVU Advisory Board for the College of Creative Arts, and the WVU Theatre Alumni Board (member).
After retiring, Carolyn dedicated more and more time to her beloved family. Whether it was numerous holiday gatherings with her children and grandchildren, hosting summer pool parties for all, attending Grandparents Days, birthdays, or little league games, she was always there. Family was everything to Carolyn and she was the proud matriarch of the family. She also had lifelong devotion to her alma mater, West Virginia University, where she attended numerous football and basketball games throughout her life and in her later years never missing one on the television.
Carolyn was the epitome of class and grace, a living example of elegance. Her life touched and affected so many. From her large family to that of her immense community contributions to the multiple generations of students that she touched, her legacy and beautiful life lived and shared shall endure on, well beyond her passing.
There will be a small family funeral service for Carolyn on April 23rd. The service will be available on the Trinity Episcopal Church web page: https://trinitymartinsburg.org
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that you consider making a contribution in her memory to the Gilbert and Carolyn Miller Education Fund at the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation, 229 East Martin Street, Suite 4, Martinsburg, WV 25401. The family is establishing this fund to provide financial support to Hedgesville High School students.
Arrangements made by Brown Funeral Home.