November 19, 1944 - April 4, 2011

Bourbonnais, IL

Known for her gracious heart and spirit of hospitality, Sharon Miller was an extraordinary woman to know and love. Her unwavering faith was her constant companion and provided both the joy in her heart and her shelter from the storms of life. Sharon was a devoted helpmate to her husband and a nurturing mother who considered caring for her family to be both her highest calling and her greatest blessing. Her laughter was infectious and next to living a life of faith, Sharon’s deepest desire was to make the most of every day she was given. The legacy she leaves behind is one of compassion, generosity, and unconditional acceptance of all people that will live on in the lives of those who follow her.

As our nation was deeply entrenched in WWII overseas, there was much to celebrate in one young family from Palestine, West Virginia, since it was on November 19, 1944, that they were blessed with the birth of a healthy baby girl. Sharon Lynn was welcomed into the world by her parents, Clair and Eula (Stephens) Townsend, and was raised in the family home located within a small, close-knit community. She was well-liked by everyone around and was a good child. Sharon loved spending time listening to her mother chatting with her friends as she was naturally drawn to people of all ages. She had her father wrapped around her little finger as she was definitely daddy's little girl. At a young age, Sharon gave her heart to Jesus Christ while attending Bethesda Baptist Church in Palestine, West Virginia. She attended local schools where she was a cheerleader and very involved in all school activities. Sharon loved her friends and remained in contact with many of them throughout her entire life.

Sharon’s love for music began during her formative years. Sundays often found her playing piano for a gospel quartet or for a church program on the radio. In fact it was through her affiliation with a local singing group, the Revelettes, that one of her fellow singers introduced Sharon to her Uncle George, who also ended up being the love of Sharon’s life.

Having fallen deeply in love, Sharon became Mrs. George Miller on June 11, 1966, in Palestine, West Virginia. She was a godly wife who never questioned following her husband’s lead into a different ministry and embraced every change as a new adventure. Together Sharon and George were blessed with three wonderful children: Dawn, Danette, and Derick. She fully immersed herself into caring for her children and was meticulous at keeping a house and maintaining the family budget. Sharon was affectionate with her children, yet she expected them to toe the line, too. She required obedience at all times and could even control her children with just a look. Sharon had each of her children begin taking piano lessons at the age of eight and whether at home or at church, music was a significant part of life in the Miller household. Sharon and George sang as a duet for a time but as their family grew, so did their singing ministry, the Miller Family. The years they spent traveling from church to church on the winding roads of West Virginia remain some of the memories that are closest to their hearts.

As her children grew and left home, Sharon’s relationship with her children changed into one of friendship. She was a trusted confidante with an ear that was always available and with her great wisdom, she also gave the best advice. Each of her children considered their mother to be one of their best friends. Sharon welcomed their spouses with open arms and continually put forth the effort to spend time together as a family whether it was for Sunday dinners or vacations. There have been family vacations taken as a large group every other year for the past 25 years. As a grandmother, Sharon was second to none as she was such a vital part of the lives of her grandchildren. Mammaw attended all of their sporting events and activities, and she was always more than willing to listen to her grandchildren sing, play guitar, or just talk for hours on end. Even when her grandchildren were goofing off as kids often do, Sharon never tired of them.

Those who knew Sharon were well aware of her adventurous spirit. She would ride almost any rollercoaster in an amusement park or any slide at a water park, and she loved riding Ferris wheels. Sharon went on a helicopter ride with two of her grandchildren and asked the pilot if he would flip them upside down! Of course the grandchildren were yelling NO!!! She went parasailing and traveled the world with her husband. Together they logged thousands of miles by land, sea, and air including several cruises to Mexico and trips to the Caribbean. Sharon was delighted when she and George were able to visit the Holy Land three separate times, fulfilling her lifelong dream.

Although she wasn’t one for telling jokes, humor just seemed to naturally unfold around Sharon. She had issues with garage doors like backing into them, getting her fingers caught in the crease of the door as she let the door down, and even putting the door down on her own head on one occasion. There was also the time that Sharon slipped on some ice and slid right under the car.

Throughout her life, Sharon was a woman of many interests. She was blessed with the gift of hospitality and often had a houseful of friends, and she loved playing card games like Sequence and Phase Ten. Sharon worked as the office manager for the Evangelical Church Alliance in Bradley for 22 years before retiring in 2010.

Sharon Miller never took even one day for granted and believed that it is in loving others that we are truly blessed. Her life was a refection of what it means to be the hands and feet of God. Sharon will be deeply missed by countless family and friends.

Sharon Lynn Miller died on April 4, 2011. Sharon’s family includes her husband, Dr. George Miller of Bourbonnais; son, Derick (Teresa) Miller of Bradley; daughters, Dawn (Darrin) Moss of Bourbonnais and Danette Barker of Yorktown, Virginia; grandchildren, Landon Miller, Logan Miller, Lydia Miller all of Bradley, Kaitlynn Evans and McKenzie Evans both of Bourbonnais, and Seth Barker of Yorktown, Virginia; sister-in-law, Dolores Townsend of Mineral Wells, West Virginia; and many other Townsend and Stephens relatives. Sharon was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, James Townsend. Funeral services will be held at the River Valley Christian Fellowship, Thursday, April 7, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. Funeral services will also be held at the Evangelical Methodist Church in Parkersburg, West Virginia on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Visit with Sharon’s family and friends at the Kankakee Chapel of Schreffler Lifestory Funeral Homes, Wednesday, April 6, 2011 from 4:00- 8:00 p.m. and Thursday, April 7, 2011 at River Valley Christian Fellowship from 12:00 p.m. until the funeral service. Time for family and friends to gather will also be held at the Evangelical Methodist Church in Parkersburg, West Virginia, Saturday April 9, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. until the funeral service. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a memory or make a contribution to the River Valley Christian Fellowship.

https://www.lifestorynet.com/obituaries/sharon-lynn-miller.68007