JAMES EDWARD MILLER

Mr. James Edward Miller of 1716 Virginia Road Edenton, NC entered into eternal rest on Thursday April 21,2017at his residence.

Celebration of Life will take place on April 26,2017 at 11am  at Hortons Funeral Home and Cremation Chapel Hertford,NC

Jim was a throwback to the days when mothers raised their sons to be men of character.  He was very protective of those he loved and care for.  His legacy consists of his family, his friends and, of course, the many young people who saw in him a man of commitment, honesty and caring.  Jim and his siblings were raised to pursue education, respect others, attend Church, help others and contribute to society.  Jim Miller loved to learn, and understood the value of education.  He graduated from Hutto High School in Bainbridge, Georgia in 1950 after which he joined the Military (Army) serving three years during the Korean War.  When he returned home he entered Hampton Institute to pursue his educational goals. He graduated with a B.S. degree in Industrial Arts and later received a M.S. degree in Administration from Hofstra University in New York.

            Jim and Bettye Glover were married in1956 and welcomed two children to their family, James E. Miller II (1958) and Lori Jemil Miller (1963).  Jim’s teaching pursuits brought he and his family north to New York.  When Jim, Bettye and baby Jimmy arrived in New York, it was upstate in Otisville, a small snowy town, where Jim was making a name for himself at the State School for boys.  

           His career spanned several years, first as a high school Teacher of Industrial Arts.  After graduate study at Boston University he served as Media Technology specialist at Uniondale High School on Long Island. Jim was the first African American to be hired in the Uniondale school district.  He was well aware that his example could make or break the opportunities for many desiring to provide black students with positive role models in the public schools of Long Island.  He was driven to work harder, and longer than most of his peers.  After working in the public school system he moved on to higher education as HEOP Administrator at the State University of New York in Farmingdale, New York.

            In the early seventies, Jim Miller’s service contributions included activities that demonstrated a seriousness of purpose that distinguished him as a positive change agent for the Black community.  Jim worked tirelessly on the campaign to elect Dr. Charles Hayes to the Freeport, NY, School Board.  This was a bold move for the time and his involvement continued into NY State politics, where he worked with people like Alphonse D’Amato; but his commitment was always to causes that impacted the Black community.  Among Jim’s other passions were community organizing.  He was an advocate of human rights for all, and equal opportunity for everyone.  He conducted workshops in public school districts throughout the State of New York on topics such as human rights and unconscious bias in the schools.  He also traveled with a team to southern east coast states to recruit minority teachers for teaching opportunities with Long Island school districts.

    Jim’s community advocacy thrusted him into public political pursuits in the 1980s when he was a candidate for Village Trustee in Freeport, New York. The initiatives Jim and his teams pursued on behalf of Long Island communities were continuous, arduous, rewarding, and mostly successful.  Even into retirement his interest and service to his relationship with God, community, and education continued. Big Jim Miller loved Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior, music, a good joke, fishing, bragging on his grandchildren and passing on lifelong wisdom to young and old.

              Jim Miller is survived by; three siblings, Fannye Steele of Las Vegas, Nevada; Charles Miller (Patricia) of Stockton, California; and Reverend Robert Miller (Josephine) of Rochester, New York;  Two children, James E. Miller II (Tanya) of McKinney, Texas; Lori Jemil Miller of Bowie Maryland; Five grandchildren, Paige Marie Vasquez (David), Alexander James Miller, Joseph Randolph Miller, Kayla Jemil Sellers, and Zachery Dunn; and two great grandchildren, Isaiah Alexander Vasquez and Isabel Jolie Vasquez, as well as cousins, nieces, nephews and friends who will miss him dearly.   No doubt, he will receive a well-deserved “Well done” on his final report card. 

Mr.Miller's remains rest in the care and comfort of Horton's Funeral Home and Cremations Hertford,NC

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