Edith Nioma Miller

Age 88, passed away March 31, 2015 in Richland, WA.  She was born May 7, 1926 in Carbondale, Pennsylvania.  Edith Nioma was initially raised in Carbondale, where her father (Homer Horace Paynter) worked in the coal mines. Her Mother (Blanche Susan Hendrickson) was a homemaker all her life. She grew up with four other sisters, which she was the second oldest, and a brother. She had a love for music and was able to play both the clarinet and the accordion, which she played on the radio at age nine.

Edith Nioma grew up during the Great Depression Era which played an important part in her childhood and throughout her life in that she always found a way to use every available resource, nothing went to waste.  She met her future husband at age 9, when they were next door neighbors. They both went to school together and our father wouldn’t let her out of his sight, even to the point of chasing any other boys away. They were truly meant to be together.

Edith Nioma was a walking piece of history.  One of her proudest moments was marrying her childhood sweetheart James E. Miller, in May 1946, who served in WWII.  She raised her five children from post WWII, The Space Race, and Vietnam War Eras. In her early adulthood she worked at various jobs in Binghamton, New York, then Largo and Orlando, Florida. She was not afraid to do any job just as our father, in order to provide for our family.   Although she had no military service, she worked delivering mail on rollerskates at an airplane parts factory in support of the military during World War II.  After various jobs throughout her career, her final occupation was working in the photographic processing business where she had developed film, managed a store and provided senior administrative support.  She proudly retired after 30 years of continued service with Qualex photographic processing company in Orlando, Fla. 

She lived in Carbondale and Binghamton until August 1957 and then moved to Florida where she lived in Largo and Orlando until January 1997. At that time she and our father moved to Richland, Washington until June 2005, after living in Colorado Springs/Pueblo, Colorado and Pinellas Park, Florida she returned to Richland in February 2011 until she went to be with the Lord.

Edith Nioma lived life to the fullest and had a great love for the Lord! She was an active member in her church and sang in the Senior Adult Choir.  Most recently she was a member of Richland Baptist Church.  Her excitement for travel led her all over the world. She traveled throughout the U.S. and her international travels included Canada, Europe, and Mexico.  With her most recent trip to Israel and Egypt where she had to make sure she rode a camel and had to see where her Lord and Savior traveled.

Another of her proudest moments was the birth of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  Edith Nioma is survived by her children: Brig Gen James E. Miller Jr. (wife: Leslie), Jack Miller (Wife: Catherine), Bonita Fennell, Chuck Miller (Wife: Mary), and Robert Miller (Wife: Carla). Her grandchildren: Tammy Dagger, Tracy Miller, Shane Miller, Kim Hazelton, Andrew Fennell, Kristine Schwindinger, Jeff Miller, Stephanie Button, Jessica Miller, and Matthew Miller. Her great-grandchildren are Christian, Grace, Kelly, Emilie, James, Justin, Kylie, Ethan, Andrew, Oliver, Kloey, Makai, Kacen , Kameryn and Hayden.  Edith Nioma was preceded in death by her loving husband James E. Miller in April 1998; her son-in-law (Andrew Fennell) and granddaughters (Kari Fennell and Kelly Figarola).

A Funeral Service will be held Monday, April 6, 2015 at 1 PM at Richland Baptist Church.  Graveside Services will take place at Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery in Gotha, Fla. On April 11, 2015 at 2:30 PM.