Viola Mae Miller

Viola Mae Miller May 8, 1931 - August 22, 2021 You would never enter Vi’s house without receiving a cocktail napkin and being offered a refreshing libation with a cube of cheddar. If you did climb the back-porch steps to the house in Norwood, you would probably be greeted by a vivacious red head wearing a green tennis outfit singing the Young High alma mater. Vi’s colleagues at Juvenile Court where she worked for 28 years would tell you, “You have succeeded in creating, in the midst of chaos, a warm gathering place for folks of various fields to come together to discuss issues which hopefully result in generating better circumstances for our young charges.” As the wife of DM and mother of Libby, Jon, and Joe she certainly succeeded in creating a home filled with love and laughter. Born in Anderson County and then moving from place to place, life with her mother Willie Cooper Chaffin was always an adventure. Vi and her brother Jack Marshall dedicated their lives to forming a stable foundation for their families. Jack’s wife Dorothy and their children Jackie and Bill joined our family for summers at the lake, picking blackberries on the side of the road, and above all the tales of Preacher Brown. An active member of New Hope Presbyterian Church, you could find Vi in the Clothes Closet, cheering the choir from the next to back row, as good Presbyterian’s do, or in the Sunday school room where she taught hundreds of children about the stories in the Bible and songs of the Church. Vi met DM Miller at Maryville College in 1949, and their c. 70 years together were filled with dancing and serving their family and community. Early married years were spent between games at Rule High School, work for Union Carbide Nuclear Company, and her many treasured friends. After the birth of three children, the family continued to grow first with Darlene and Tim, then with grandchildren Brett and Shelley, Brett’s wife Meghan, and finally with great grandchild Marla Jane. She put us all through “finishing school” where we learned the lessons of how to treat each other with love, respect, and the importance of southern hospitality. We want to thank Morning Pointe and UT Hospice for their outstanding care of both of our parents. Family will receive friends from 5:00-7:00pm at Mynatt Funeral Home, Fountain City on Wednesday, August 25, 2021. Funeral, officiated by Katina Sharp of Powell Presbyterian Church, will take place at East Tennessee Veterans Memorial, 2200 E. John Sevier Hwy, at 8:30 am on Thursday, August 26. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations in Vi’s honor to Sunshine Industries/ARC Knox County, 3000 N. Central Street, Knoxville 37917 (sunshinekcarc.com). Due to the current pandemic, if you are unvaccinated, a mask must be worn to attend the visitation and service. Online condolences may be expressed at mynattfh.com