Harriet Jane Gray Miller's Obituary
LONGVIEW — Harriet Jane Gray Miller passed away March 11, 2012, in Longview, Texas. She was a native of Chattanooga, Tenn., born October 19, 1920, to Sim Allen and Harriet Hood Gray. She was the granddaughter of Charles F. and Harriet Hunt Hood, the niece of Almeda Hood Hill and the great-niece of Chattanooga architects R.H. and Ben Hunt.
Jane attended Shorter College in Rome, Ga., with a major in art. Throughout her life, she painted for family and friends. She was married to the late Richard Dean Miller. The Miller family moved to Birmingham, Ala., in 1952, and to Huntsville, Ala., in 1963.
Jane was a leader with the Cahaba Girl Scout Council in Birmingham and a member of Bluff Park Methodist Church. She worked in the garden and landscape business in both Birmingham and Huntsville before opening Carriage Gardens in Huntsville. During her years in Huntsville, she was involved with Huntsville Little Theater, doing both set and costume design.
In 1995, she moved to Sylacauga, Ala., where she was the historian for the Sylacauga Beautification Council and a member of the Arts Council and Habitat for Humanity. She was a member of First Methodist of Sylacauga before moving her membership to Avinger United Methodist in Avinger, Texas, where she was living with her daughter Linda Ferguson. She was a Christian woman who served in many positions within the church, including teaching Sunday school.
She is survived by her four children, R. Gray Miller Jane of Moorsville, N.C., Linda Ferguson of Avinger, Texas, Beebe Miller Griswold of Birmingham, Ala., and Cathy Simpson Guy of Huntsville, Ala.; grandchildren, Richard Miller Jane of Waxhaw, N.C., Kenneth Ferguson of Dallas, Texas, Ian Ferguson Jane of Mount Vernon, Iowa, Kate Hinton Clay of Avinger, Texas, George Griswold III Michelle of Chelsea, Ala., Marissa Griswold of Milwaukee, Wisc., Austin Griswold of Los Angeles, Calif., Tae Griswold Rogers of Milwaukee, Wisc., Jennifer Clark Phil of New Market, Ala., and Becky Roger of Huntsville, Ala.; 16 great grandchildren; and one great-great granddaughter.
Mrs. Miller has been cremated by Rader Funeral Home in Longview, Texas, and will be buried on her birthday in October in Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville, Ala., after a celebration of her life.
In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to Heifer International, P.O. Box 8058, Little Rock, AR, 72203, or www.heifer.org.
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