Kathi Clough Miller

Kathi Clough Miller, retired professional communicator and community advocate, died Jan. 3 in Austin, having entered hospice with pancreatic cancer several weeks earlier.
Family, friends, and professional colleagues are invited to celebrate Kathi's life on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 1 pm at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin, 4700 Grover, Austin, TX.
The native of Plainview, TX earned her news/editorial journalism degree from Texas Christian University (TCU) in 1967. Civil unrest and protests were on-going, and the role of women and the face of media were rapidly changing. In fact, Kathi often talked about how the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 opened-up career opportunities for minorities and women. First, she was editor of the TCU Daily Skiff and then interned for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in summer 1966, launching her life-long communications career. Among the first of many women reporters being hired at the time, Kathi covered general news, education, and medical issues, then became a political reporter, and finally, assistant city editor over an 11-year span.
"We're dependent on factual and in-depth news. The descriptions of investigative reporting, as well as corporate communications, are too often misunderstood by the public," Kathi said repeatedly. "We all deserve to know the truth so we can make well-informed decisions in our daily lives. I want to leave life someday knowing people will benefit from what I have contributed."
Kathi moved from the newspaper to corporate communications and government relations, working with TXU in Fort Worth and Dallas. Upon retiring, she moved to Austin and continued working with TXU as a consultant. Upon learning of her death, a longtime colleague said, "Kathi wrote all of the words that the engineers and financial executives needed to translate technical information to everyday language for the public to understand." Kathi retired in 2013 and committed every day to volunteering.
Kathi volunteered at the Bullock Texas State History Museum, beginning several years after its opening in 2001. She wrote the volunteer newsletter, The Storyteller, and served on its Volunteer Advisory Committee and as a docent.
Having started volunteering at the LBJ Presidential Library in 2013, she gave 1,493 hours of dedicated service. In addition to being a gallery attendant, she was the author of many of the topical readings used by the volunteers.
There was never a time that Kathi was not caring for several dogs and cats of all sizes and ages in her home. She supported and volunteered for Austin Pets Alive! including writing the bios and taking photos of dogs awaiting adoption and managing its website.
Another of her passions was Women for Good Government (WGG), which she joined in 2009 and served as Vice President from 2015 through 2023. During her tenure and as a member and officer, she created and maintained the WGG website and Facebook page. She also served on the WGG Membership Committee and the Planning Committee.
Kathi was a longtime volunteer in other government-focused organizations and initiatives, including the Travis County Democratic Party (TCDP) and its messaging and coordinated campaigns; Travis County Voter Registration Office, including serving as a Voter Registrar registering voters in each election cycle; Texas Freedom Network, Circle C Democrats; Texas Democratic Party-and of course, a Democratic Precinct chair.
Kathi was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Clovis M. Clough and Ann McElveen Clough, and brother, Stephen Clough. She is survived by her cousins: Marcy Hello and her children, Jacqueline and Salem (Austin, TX); Nancy Speck (Georgetown, TX), Trey Speck (Round Rock, TX), John Speck Jr. (Plainview, TX), Mendy Linsenmayer (Navarre, FL) and Mary West (Montrose, CO); and goddaughters, Rachel Buchholtz Guinto (Washington D.C) and Amy Buchholtz Dudas (Richmond, IN).
Here are two causes to which you may want to contribute in Kathi's memory. Of course, she would tell you to follow your heart and perhaps make a donation to one of your favorite charities or community organizations.
When Kathi created the TCU endowment, she wrote, "I think we're at a time when accurate, professional journalism is essential to our democracy. I especially want to help TCU educate future journalists." Here's how:
Contact TCU Gift Planning at 817-257-7299 or giftplanning@tcu.edu.
Also consider, AUSTIN PETS ALIVE! P.O Box 736245 Dallas, TX 75373-0625