Joan Miller

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;

I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

Psalm 104:33

Joan "Jo" Marie Coulter Miller was born October 26, 1933, in Omaha, Nebraska to Thomas Edison "T.E." Coulter and Hazel Mae Post Coulter. Her early years were spent in Hooper, NE where she was a cheerleader, band member, on student council and in the National Honor Society at Hooper High. On a weekend visit to family in Rapid City, SD her life would be forever changed when a cousin introduced her to a fellow Air Force member named Herb Miller. They began to correspond and by February of her senior year were engaged. After she graduated from high school they were married on December 5, 1951. After Herb finished his time in the Air Force they moved to his hometown of Kannapolis, NC. They lived in various cities in North Carolina and were married for 59 years before his death in April 2011.

Jo was a gifted musician with a beautiful voice. She sang in numerous church choirs and with Herb and another couple in a gospel quartet called the M&Ms. With the M&Ms she organized and provided programs to various retirement homes in the Charlotte area.

She was an excellent secretary/administrator. One of her former bosses said that she could have been the CEO of a company if she had been able to attend college. She sacrificed to make sure that each of her children had the opportunity to benefit from higher education.

Gathering family together for holiday and birthdays was very important to her – she loved to be surrounded by her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. An annual week at the beach with family was one of the highlights of her year. Growing up in the Midwest, she fell in love with the beach when she came to North Carolina and went as often as she could. It was a place of rest and renewal for her.

Jo loved sports – we knew not to interrupt her when she was watching her Dallas Cowboys, her Chicago Cubs or the Duke Blue Devils.

She was also a proud member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and celebrated that heritage with her family. She was recently given her Ponca name by her youngest daughter, Robin, who named her Wažiga waa (Song Bird.)

Most importantly she was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ and a beloved Child of God who has been received into God's loving arms. As her body has declined over the last few years her faith has carried her. We are grateful for the faith she shared with us and that she has entered eternity where she is joined with loved ones who went before her.

Jo was predeceased by her husband, Herb; her infant son, Timothy; and her adult son, Mark.

She is survived by three daughters and their spouses: Nancy Miller Campbell (Bill); Dawn Davis (Theron) and Robin Jo Neville (Chris) and a daughter-in-law, Ann Marie Miller; her grandchildren: Jonathan Davis (Amy), Ryan Campbell (Katelyn Ander), Miles Miller (Meghan Roque), Erin Campbell Young (Taylor), and Edison Miller (Carly); and her great grandchildren: Audrey and Paisley Davis; Maverick Foutz; Coulter, Charlie and Miller Young; Sunny and Quinn Miller; and Jolie Miller.

The family will receive friends on Monday, November 17th between 6 and 8 pm at Lowe-Neddo Funeral Home, 4715 Margaret Wallace Road, Matthews, NC. A private service will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a gift in her memory to the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, P.O. Box 288 Niobrara, NE 68760 or use the QR code shown in her photo section of her online memorial to give using PayPal.