Laura Lynn McCorkle Miller

Laura Miller

Laura Lynn McCorkle Miller, 73, of Savannah and Shellman Bluff,, died Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, in Savannah after a long illness.

She was born Nov. 2, 1949, in Detroit, to Joe and Hattie Kush Shiver, and reared since age 2, in Valdosta, by Marvin "Mac" and Evelyn McCorkle.

She was a 1967 graduate of Valdosta High School and a 1972 graduate of Valdosta State College (now Valdosta State University) and began working as a Georgia Welcome Center hostess before marrying Martin J. Miller of Valdosta. She served as a social worker for the Department of Family and Children Services in Valdosta before leaving to dedicate her time to her daughter, not knowing that change eventually would lead to a successful, full-time business career.

In 1978, she began working from home part-time for Eldercare of Valdosta, providing home care to the elderly and physically disabled. Laura Lynn quickly developed the vision for the tremendous need for services to the elderly. Within 18 months, she and her husband purchased the company and began expanding the business statewide and then into other states. In doing so she became a pioneer in home services for the elderly in Georgia. In 1995, they renamed the company Southern Home Care Services after opening offices in Macon, Savannah and Augusta. After years of continuing growth, they sold the company to ResCare, one of the nation's largest private providers of services to adults and children with disabilities.

Together, she and her husband impacted the industry in many positive ways, including leading the way for state licensing of home care in 1993, and partnering with others in the creation of Southern Living Alternatives (later Altrus Inc.), a statewide personal care home provider. More recently, they re-entered the home care industry by developing Coastal Home Care Inc., in Savannah, Brunswick, Statesboro and Hinesville. In 2019, Coastal Home Care and Altrus were purchased by another national home care company, Help At Home.

In 2013, Laura Lynn and her husband contributed to the building of Valdosta State University's Health Sciences and Business Administration (HSBA) building which houses the Martin and Laura Lynn Miller Family Clinic that includes the Speech and Hearing Clinic.

She was a member of Temple Israel synagogue, in Valdosta, where she chaired the Sunday school committee, and Agudath Achim synagogue, in Savannah.

In 1999, the Millers built a home on the Sapelo River, in McIntosh County, becoming involved in neighborhood events and efforts to help develop the community of Shellman Bluff, while sharing time in her house in downtown Savannah. She was a principal in the development of the Cherry Laurel subdivision on the Julienton River, near her Shellman Bluff home.

She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Martin J. Miller; daughter, Maura Miller Respess of Valdosta; two grandchildren, Lillian Anna "Lilly" Respess of Clemson, South Carolina, and James Edward "Jed" Respess of Valdosta; and a brother and sister-in-law, Orus Shiver of Lapeer, Michigan. She was predeceased by another brother, Wayne Shiver. She also leaves a host of nieces and nephews.

The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, in the chapel of Carson McLane Funeral Home, with Rabbi Moshe Elbaz of Temple Israel synagogue officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Hill cemetery. The family will receive friends Sunday beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Valdosta Hebrew Congregation Inc. Online condolences may be shared on the tribute wall of the obituary at www.mclanecares.com

Carson McLane Funeral Home, in Valdosta, is in charge of the arrangements.

Family-placed obituary

The Brunswick News, October 6, 2023