John Miller

Lake Junaluska, The Reverend John James Miller, age 94, passed from this earthly life to eternal life with God on May 11, 2015 at Maggie Valley Nursing Center. The family welcomes friends and the community to a time of visitation at First United Methodist Church, 566 South Haywood Street, Waynesville, NC beginning at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 16, 2015. The funeral service will begin at 3:00 p.m, followed by a family committal service at Garrett-Hillcrest Memorial Park in Waynesville. John was born in Easley, South Carolina on August 11, 1920 to the Reverend J.W. Miller and wife, the former Harriet Elizabeth Pearson. They and his siblings preceded him in death. He lived in Easley, Greer and Spartanburg, South Carolina during his early years. He received an AA degree from Southern Wesleyan University and the BA degree from Wofford College. He attended Asbury Theological Seminary and Candler School of Theology, Emory University, where he received the M.Div. degree. Between 1939 and 1947, he was the pastor of Wesleyan churches in South Carolina, located in Townville, Spartanburg, Lyman and Mayo. Ordained as an elder by the United Methodist Church in 1951, he was the pastor of United Methodist churches in Gonzales, Louisiana and Mooresville, Concord, Gibsonville, Dallas, Maiden, Charlotte, Cornelius and Stanley, all in western North Carolina. During these many years of pastoral ministry, he was also an evangelist for 336 revivals and preaching events in the churches of eight denominations in nine states. After nearly 43 years of pastoral ministry, he retired to live at Lake Junaluska in 1986. He is survived by his loving wife, the former Opal Henderson of Spartanburg, South Carolina, whom he married in 1952. He is also survived by two sons, the Reverend Dr. Perry Miller and his wife, Reverend Karen F. Miller, of West Jefferson, North Carolina and their daughter, Liz Miller, of Washington, D.C.; and son, Kevin Miller and his wife, Lisa Miller, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and their children, Dr. Patricia Dias and her husband, Chris Dias, of Charleston South Carolina, Carley Miller of State College, Pennsylvania, Mimi Miller of Boone, North Carolina and Dusty Miller of Winston-Salem. John is also survived by several nephews, nieces and cousins. Memorial gifts may be given to First United Methodist Church Congregational Care Ministry, P.O. Box 838, Waynesville, NC 28786; the Good Samaritan Clinic, 34 Sims Circle, Waynesville, NC 28786; or the Haywood Health Care Foundation (The Homestead Hospice), c/o Karen Denty, 127 Sunset Ridge Road, Clyde, NC 28721.

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