Mary Magdaline Miller

Published 9:50 am Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Mary Magdaline Miller “Granny Miller”, age 89, a longtime resident of Troy, Alabama, passed away peacefully Monday, August 17, 2020, at home surrounded by her family.

A funeral service will be Thursday, August 20, 2020, at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Green Hills Funeral Home with Ministers Bobby Templin, Raymond Elliott, and Demar Elam officiating. Burial will follow in Green Hills Memorial Cemetery.

Serving as pallbearers will be Danny Barron, Drake Barron, Curt Barron, Vohn Enloe, Chan Senn, Jay Adair, and Chris Gant.

Visitations will be Wednesday, August 19, 2020, from 5-7 p.m. at Green Hills Funeral Home and Thursday, one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Born and raised in the Needmore community of Pike County, Alabama, Mary, the third oldest of 12 children, learned two especially important life pillars ─ work and family. Long, sweaty hours tending the family farm instilled endurance, efficiency, and esteem. And the unity of her large family prepared her with understanding, generosity, and faithfulness. From the nearby pastures in Banks, Alabama, a proper suitor came along, and soon, Mary Faulkner and Jessie Miller united in marriage and shared 21 years until his untimely death in 1972. Together they grew in love and faith, faced challenges but overcame, and modeled an exemplary partnership for their own family to mirror. After a tragic accident that left Jessie disabled, Mary channeled her roots and produced.

While someone spent time talking about it, Mary was well on her way doing it. She worked long days and many hours as a textile operative at Kleinert’s in Elba, Alabama, for 24 years. After her retirement, she relocated back to Troy and began a 17-year tenure as an aide with the Collegedale Christian School. It is there and as a member of Collegedale Church of Christ that she affectionately became known as “Granny Miller.” Hundreds of children and parents experienced her love and attention during their time with the school. Her impact on the lives of generations of school children is still felt to this day. Mary was the epitome of the virtuous woman described in Proverbs 31. Baptized into Christ in 1966, she was a faithful servant of the Lord for the rest of her life. Her consistent example of love and service impacted the lives of countless friends and family.

Mary, knowing its importance, was always devoted to her family. Sunday family dinners at her house were a staple, always with special requests for one, or more, of her famous country-cooking style dishes. The menu may have been different, whether it the camp stew, or the chicken and dumplings, or the tomatoes and rice, but the theme and spirit were always the same ─ togetherness.

Her family grew and grew, now totaling 51 in number, and her love for each and every one of them was evident until the end. They all celebrate as she is finally reunited with her beloved Jessie! Mrs. Miller is survived by her twin daughters, Linda Barron (James) and Brenda Penn (Mike); son, Jerry Miller (Jamie); eight grandchildren, Danny Barron (Jackie), Drake Barron (Heather), Curt Barron (Leighanne), Candy Enloe (Vohn), Shannon Senn (Chan), Michelle Grant (Chris), Jessica Adair (Jay), and Kelly Miller (Hunter); 26 great-grandchildren; brother, Wayne Faulkner; and sister, Ann Johnson. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jessie T. Miller; parents, William and Idell Faulkner; brothers, Rayford Faulkner, William Faulkner, Gillis Faulkner, Gilbert Faulkner, and Joe Faulkner; and sisters, Viola Jones, Marth Jean Conrad, Delphine Seay, and Bernice Littles.

The family wishes to extend many thanks to all the people who loved her dearly, and for all the prayers and expressions of love and kindness extended to her through her final days. A special thanks to the staff of Compassus Hospice for their tender, compassionate, and professional care.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Granny Miller’s honor can be made to Collegedale Christian School (701 John M. Long Drive Troy, AL 36081) or to the Christian Student Center (703 University Avenue Troy, AL 36081).

Friends and family can sign the guestbook online at www.greenhillsfuneralhome.net. The staff of Green Hills Funeral Home is honored to serve the Miller family.