Joyce McCrary Miller

JOYCE MILLER Our precious Mother passed from this life to the next on October 2, 2014. Born November 10, 1925, to Frances Shackelford and Eubanks McCrary in Lowndes County, Mississippi, she graduated from Lee High School in Columbus, Mississippi and attended Mississippi State College for Women. She worked for Merchants and Farmers Bank in Columbus. She married John Wiley Miller in 1948 and moved to Tupelo, Miss. in 1950. She worked for the Bank of Tupelo and retired from Tupelo Public School system in 1988. She was a member of Mount Vernon Baptist Church until marriage at which time she and Wiley joined First Baptist Church in Columbus. Upon moving to Tupelo, they joined Calvary Baptist Church and remained members there until moving to the Brewer Community at which time they joined Brewer Baptist Church. Later they moved to AvonLea Cove in Tupelo. She returned to Calvary Baptist Church after Wiley passed. Joyce was a Sunday School teacher most of her life and touched many lives by her Christian faith, love and charity. We have truly lost a great prayer warrior. She is survived by one son John Wiley Miller, Jr. (Judy) of Jackson, MS; two daughters, Beverly Miller Oliver (Don) of Hodges, AL, and Fran Miller Foster (Don) of Midvale, UT; one sister, Gladys McCrary Gregory (Vernon) of Columbus, MS; five grandchildren, April Jackson Daniel (Scott), Natalie Jackson Bendall (Brett),Matt Jackson (Heather), Josh Miller (David Brothers),, and Jennifer Miller; six great-grandchildren, Lexie Daniel, Jacob Daniel, Blake Bendall, Brayden Bendall, Syklan Jackson and Kynlee Jackson; one brother-in-law Donald Miller (Joyce) of Columbus, MS; three nephews and one very special friend, Billy Thomason of AvonLea Cove. She is preceded in death by her husband and parents. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, October 4, 2014 at the Jefferson Street Chapel of W. E. Pegues Funeral Directors with Rev. Tim Tutor officiating on Saturday, October 4, 2014 at The Jefferson Street Chapel of W. E. Pegues, Tupelo. Graveside service and interment to follow at 2:30 p.m. with Mr. Ray Crane officiating at Mount Vernon Baptist Church Cemetery in Columbus, MS. Visitation will be 9 - 11 a.m. prior to service at the funeral home. The family would like to express our deepest gratitude to the staff, caregivers, and volunteers at Sanctuary Hospice House for the genuine love, support, and comfort shown to our Mother as well as to us. In lieu of flowers, the family request honorariums be made to the Sanctuary Hospice House.