Etta Miller

Etta Mae Miller was born on October 14, 1914 in Tuskegee, Alabama. She was the eldest of four children born of the union of Belton Graham and Ada Bell Boyd. She was preceded in death by her brother James Graham and most recently, youngest sister, Pauline Harris. Of the children, she is survived by her sister Wilhelmina "Mena" Jones who referred to her as "Sister". "Aunt Etta" as she is called by family members, graduated from Academy High School in Troy, Alabama and then attended Hampton Institute in Richmond, Virginia where she studied nursing and became a Registered Nurse (RN). Her zeal for the profession resulted in her attendance at the Queens College in New York where she received her B.A. degree. During her career, she was a school nurse at Snowhill Boarding School in Alabama, where her two sisters Mena and Pauline attended, practiced midwifery, taught nursing at St. Albans VA Extended Care Center and was a head nurse for 36 in various hospitals and retired in 1979. In Etta's words as head nurse, leader of nurses and nursing assistants, "I was able to direct their performances in caring for patients, teaching them responsibility as care givers and letting them see results of that care. My direction made an impact, on individuals and they give me confidence, knowing that I played an important part in their development." While living in Manhattan, New York she met and married Lewis "Lucky" Harding Miller on September 8, 1948. They were wed at St. Marks Methodist Church and their marriage lasted for 51 glorious years while living in Jamaica New York, until the untimely death of "Uncle Lucky" on June 20, 2000. Etta loved to travel and as the result of her affiliations with nursing and other associations, was a conventioneer in many of the cities in the United States. She saw and enjoyed the world by visiting Europe, Russia, China, the Caribbean, Hawaii, South America and Africa. In 2002, Etta relocated to Cleveland, Ohio and reconnected with her sisters living in their homes. She continued to enjoy life under the loving care of her devoted niece Diane Williams. Etta is survived by her sister Wilhelmina, step daughter, Lynnette Haywood, loving nieces, Diane P. Williams, Brenda Joy McNairy, Cheryl Jones, Donna Jones, grandnieces and grand nephews and family members.

Etta Miller

October 14, 1914 - September 13, 2011