A Life Lived: Greg Miller provided us with love, laughs, and lasting memories
Published 1:37 pm Tuesday, November 16, 2021
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BY ROZELLA HARDIN
Editorial Director
rozella.hardin@elizabethton.com
COVID-19 has claimed the lives of over 200 Carter Countians, in addition to hundreds more in the Northeast Tennessee area. Among the lives taken by the dreaded virus was a former co-worker, Greg Miller of Johnson City, who previously worked at the STAR for 22 years, but in 2020 worked as a freelance writer for the STAR.
Greg, unknown to his STAR family until late this summer, died Jan. 4 of this year due to COVID complications. He was 72 years of age. When someone noticed that Greg no longer was on Facebook nor had frequented the STAR in a while, they inquired on his Facebook page what had happened to him. His son replied with the news of his death.
Thus, with Thanksgiving approaching, it seemed the appropriate time to tell you about Greg and to say “thanks for the memories.”
Greg was a staff writer at the STAR and coordinated the church news. He was also a minister and enjoyed speaking in area churches, especially taking his puppet-friend Kid Cool for a program with the kids. On and off he wrote a weekly column, “Rays of Son.” He had a good rapport with ministers in the area.
But, to STAR employees Greg was our friend and associate and provided us with tons of laughs through the years. He was an eccentric person, and we say that in a kind and good-humored way. Usually, when he arrived at work, especially in the winter, he was layered in coats, with the shortest one usually on top…a toboggan pulled down over this head and ears, and a scarf around his neck. Receptionist Patsy Johnson said it best, “When he pulled that ‘boggan’ off, the three hairs on the top of his head stood straight up.”
She noted that in one arm he usually had his notebook and work notes, and in the other a big bag of vitamins and other pills, and much of the time a bag with his breakfast or lunch in it.
“We loved him. Bless his heart. His life was hard and it seemed that he had more than his fair share of troubles and heartaches. But he had a giant-sized faith that carried him through. He never let his troubles get him down,” said Judy Guinn, who formerly worked in bookkeeping. She added that Greg was a very caring person and a good man. “The things that were important to him were his family, his faith, and his relationship with God,” she recalled.
One special memory Judy had of Greg was when he accidentally run over his son Stephen’s foot. “When he came to work that day he was all to pieces. Stephen, just a boy, didn’t want to go to school that day and Greg couldn’t get him in the car. Greg got in the car, started it up, and threatened to leave him standing in the yard if he didn’t get in the car. When he started to back up, Stephen stretched his foot out behind the tire and Greg ran over it. When Greg seen what he had done he grabbed Stephen and took him to the emergency room, and fearing he would get arrested for child abuse, he very apologetically shared the story to the emergency room workers,” Judy shared.
Thankfully, Stephen wasn’t hurt — just a bruised foot. But, Greg also went to the sheriff’s department and told them what happened so “they wouldn’t come and arrest me later,” he explained.
Greg and his wife Nancy had Stephen and a daughter, April. Nancy died in 2006 of cancer, leaving Greg to raise their son. He also had a grandson.
Judy Richardson, another former co-worker, often laid claim to Greg and another co-worker, “Joe Bob” Bowling, as her “boys,” and looked out for them.
One day Greg came in wearing a plastic novelty tie which was designed for a boy. He had a Chamber of Commerce meeting to cover that day, and we all were thinking “he cannot go to that meeting wearing that silly tie.” Judy recalls that she was elected to give him the news.
“I went out to his desk, and I said: ‘Take that silly tie off before you go to that meeting.’ And, with a big grin, he took it off and put it in his desk drawer,” Judy said in laughter.
Greg provided us with a ton of laughs and lots of good memories. He was always long on love and short on money. But this Thanksgiving Day as we count our blessings, knowing and working with Greg Miller was one of them.
Last year at Thanksgiving, Greg wrote on his Facebook page: “I thank the Lord for today. He is magnificently marvelous. Jesus is Lord. Close your eyes now and envision three things for which you are grateful. My three: First, my daughter April Dawn; my son, Stephen Philip; and my grandson, Nicholas. Secondly, God’s call on my life and the gifts and talents He’s given me, and the accomplishments of that call; thirdly, living in a free country like the United States.”
A couple of days later, he posted this comment: “What if today we were just grateful for everything.” It’s a challenge Greg leaves with us.
This year at Thanksgiving, Greg’s troubles, his many coats, bags of vitamins, and his writings and ministry are a part of his earthly past. He is at home with His Saviour. Thanks for your friendship and the memories that still bring smiles to our faces.