Barbara Ann Miller

Barbara Medford Miller, 93, passed away on January 4, 2026. Born in 1932, as an eighth generation Southern Highlander, Barbara grew up in a large extended family of homestead farmers in Haywood County. After college she married her high school sweetheart and soul mate Robert (Bob) Miller and they moved to Brevard to begin their life together. They started a family and she became the loving mother of 3 children and later, a doting grandmother to 4 grandchildren and 2 great-granddaughters.

Barbara lived a fulfilling life as mother, wife, bookkeeper, secretary, teacher, and various other jobs, but most notably, she was always a maker of beautiful things. She found interest and love in arts and crafts and formed kinship with other makers.

Throughout a long career as a fiber artist, she earned recognition as a master weaver. She was internationally known as an expert in translating and teaching traditional heritage weaving methods and patterns. She valued sharing her knowledge and experience with others and often taught at John C Campbell Folk School, Arrowmont School of Crafts and Blue Ridge Community College.

She authored and published three books about historical weaving in Kilbarchan, Scotland and the mountains of Appalachia.

As a Life Member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, she served in many instrumental roles working to support and promote the traditional crafts of the Southern Highlands. Barbara worked to bring recognition, funding and preservation of heritage talent and experience. She was also a long-time member of the Handweaver’s Guild of America.

Barbara was honored to receive the Daughters of the American Revolution Women in the Arts Recognition Award in June 2020, being the first local recipient of the award.

Barbara also had many adventurous years working as a volunteer as a live interpreter at the Cradle of Forestry in Pisgah National Forest and, at Fort Zachary Taylor in Key West Florida. These were especially good times experienced in retirement with her late husband.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Folk Art Center in Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway milepost 382 on Sunday April 12 from 2 - 4 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation in Barbara’s memory to the Southern Highland Craft Guild. https://southernhighlandguild.org/donate/

Moore-Blanchard Funerals & Cremations is honored to serve the family.