Helen Elizabeth Miller

Helen Whitt Miller, age 97, of Erwin, passed away peacefully at the Christian Care Center in Johnson City, TN on January 28, 2015 following a brief illness.Helen was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Erwin where she taught Sunday School Classes for many years. She was employed by Southern Pottery as a dish painter and later was a seamstress at the Industrial Garment Company from which she retired.Mrs. Miller enjoyed spending time with her family, working with the youth in her church and making doll clothes for the special children in her life. Helen and her husband, Hubert, traveled extensively during the early years of their marriage and lived for several years in Saudi Arabia where he was employed by Aramco Oil Corporation. Helen had many hobbies in which she excelled including bowling and roller skating. Helen was an avid photographer from her early years and had an extensive picture collection of family, friends and places she traveled. She had a very friendly and outgoing personality and had many friends that she continued to have contact with throughout her lifetime.Mrs. Miller was one of 11 children born to Paris Haymaker Whitt and Nana Hatcher Whitt of Erwin. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband, Hubert Miller; four brothers: Thurman “Bus” Whitt, Bill Whitt, Alvin “Bud” Whitt, and Jack Whitt; four sisters: Kathryn Whitt Sparks, Maxine Whitt Jarrett, Gladys Whitt Landreth and Marie Whitt Laws. She is survived by two brothers: Robert “Bob” Whitt and wife, Maxine, of Blackshear, GA, and Kenneth “Jerry” Whitt and wife, Gay, of Unicoi; step-son Bob Miller and his late wife, Judy of Saint Louis, MO; step-daughter Charlotte Sue Rosenauer and husband, Ed of Bloomington, IL and several step-grandchildren. Also surviving are sisters-in-law Brenda Kegley and Mildred Silvers of Erwin, Anne Miller Childers of Waycross, GA and Margaret Whitt of Johnson City; brother-in-law James Miller and his late wife, Joan of Mount Pleasant, SC; special nieces, Amy Whitt-Bachman of Johnson City; Jeanne Jarrett and Kay Allen of Erwin; Joyce Staubs of Riverdale, MD; Cindy Landreth of Jonesborough, TN; Christa Whitt Pierce of Williamson, GA and Wanda Whitt, Glenda Whitt and Misty Whitt, all of North Carolina. Nephews surviving are Wayne Whitt of Johnson City, Mike Whitt of Jonesborough; Dana Whitt of Blackshear, GA; John Landreth of Piney Flats; Terry Jarrett and wife, Karen of Lynchburg, VA; William Whitt, Jr. and Todd Whitt, of North Carolina. Several other nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.The family would like to extend a special thanks for the staff at Christian Care Center of Johnson City for their wonderful, loving care of our “Helen.” They all loved her “a bushel and a peck.”A Celebration of Life service will be conducted at 2:00 PM, Saturday, January 31, 2015 in the Chapel of Valley Funeral Home. Dr. Todd Edmondson will officiate. A visitation period to share memories and offer support to the family will begin at 1:00 PM and continue until service time on Saturday at Valley Funeral Home. A graveside committal service will be held at 10:00 AM, Monday, February 2, 2015 at Mountain Home National Cemetery. Those who will attend are asked to meet at Mountain Home National Cemetery by 10:00 AM on Monday. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family through our website at www.valleyfuneralhome.net. These arrangements are made especially for the family and friends of Helen Whitt Miller through Valley Funeral Home, 1085 N. Main Ave., Erwin, TN, 423-743-9187.Read Obituary