John Miller Obituary

John Mark Miller, 96, took his final curtain call on July 6, 2025, in Huntsville, Alabama. He made an exit from this worldly stage surrounded by his sons Chris and Pat.
The funeral service will be held at Valley United Methodist Church, 1410 Drake Avenue, on July 14, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Maple Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be held July 13, 2025, from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home.
John was born on July 4, 1929, in Kempsville, Virginia, to Jonas and Elizabeth Miller. The family lived in Washington, D. C. during John's childhood and relocated to Sarasota, Florida, where he graduated from Sarasota High School.
After high school John entered the U. S. Air Force and landed as an A & E mechanic instructor at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. It was there that John met Barbara Jean Barth, and on July 12, 1951, they began what was to be a 63-year marriage.
After completing his service in the Air Force, John earned a BSEE degree from Kansas State and took a job with the Boeing Airplane Company. He progressed rapidly through the ranks at Boeing, and after assignments in Seattle and Baltimore, he was transferred to Huntsville, Alabama, in 1964.
Starting way back in high school, John discovered a predilection for acting. He appeared in school shows and professionally directed local theater group plays. During his Air Force and Boeing terms, he found opportunities to participate in local productions. He appeared on stage in Mississippi, Kansas, Japan, Texas, Washington, and here in Alabama. Some of his favorite roles were Henry II in The Lion in Winter, Henry Drummond in Inherit the Wind, John Proctor in The Crucible, and Captain Hook in Peter Pan.
In Huntsville John was the first president of Twickenham Repertory Company. At various times he served as president of the Arts Council, Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theater, and Huntsville Little Theater. John received eight Big Spring Awards for acting and directing, was nominated for the Virginia Hammil Simms Award, and just last year he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from Theatre Huntsville.
John was incredibly active in his final years. He sang in the church choir at Valley United Methodist where he and Barbara were members from the beginning. Every Monday night you could see him at Casa Blanca anchoring the Miller trivia team. He came to be known as "Mr. Opening Night," attending every local show he could get to and writing a review the next day. He even prepared dinner for his family every Wednesday night for years.
John is survived by his sons, Chris Miller of Oakland, California, and Pat Miller (Dawn) of Huntsville, Alabama; sister, Mary Nolin of Pulaski, Tennessee; grandchildren, Emmett Miller (Jocelyn) of Seattle, Washington, Shelby Hawkins (Logan) of Huntsville, Alabama, and Reed Miller of Riverside, California; great-granddaughter, Holden Hawkins of Huntsville, Alabama; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Barbara; his parents, Jonas and Elizabeth; his son, Stephen; and siblings, Luke and Lois.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the following organizations: Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theater & Academy, 3320 Triana Blvd, SW, Huntsville, AL 35805 (https://www.fantasyplayhouse.org/support-us) or Theatre Huntsville, 2211 Seminole Drive SW, Studio 1055, Huntsville, AL 35805 (https://www.theatrehsv.org/donate)