James R. Miller

James Ralph Miller was born in Broken Bow, Nebraska on August 25, 1938 and, after a long battle with cancer, died in his sleep at home in Huntsville, Texas on August 6, 2008. While growing up, Jim lived in two other Nebraska communities, Dawson and Marquette, graduating from Marquette High School in 1956. He received a B.A. degree from North Central College in Illinois, attended Yale School of Drama in Connecticut and earned his Ph.D. in Drama and Literature from Tufts University in Massachusetts. Jim married Julee Ann Stone in August 1964 in Old Saybrook, Connecticut and they lived outside Boston where daughter, Lee Mary Miller, was born in April 1965. They relocated to Dallas, TX in 1970 when Jim took a position at Southern Methodist University, where he taught for six years. Eric Stone Miller was born in Dallas in March 1971. Jim moved with his family to Huntsville, TX in 1976 to serve as Chair of the Theatre Department at Sam Houston State University (SHSU). Under his leadership, the SHSU Musical Theatre Program was launched and is now ranked among the top five programs in the nation. During the 2003-2004 academic year, the SHSU production of "The Laramie Project" was one of only four full-length productions from across the nation chosen to perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts American College Theatre Festival, earning the department affiliate status with the Kennedy Center for that year. Known affectionately as "Doc" to his students, Jim was a source of constructive criticism, helpful suggestions, moral support and wry humor. He had a unique ability to identify people’s strengths and he actively encouraged all of his students to improve themselves. A firm believer in the importance of connections in the world of professional theater, Jim taught his students to maintain strong personal and professional ties among SHSU theatre department alumni. He possessed a profound appreciation for humor, truth, competence and beauty in its many forms. These attributes, coupled with an intolerance of sloth, sloppiness, incorrect grammar and poor manners, made him a remarkable teacher/mentor and set a formidable professional example for students and colleagues. Jim was active in the Texas Educational Theatre Association (TETA) for many years, in a variety of roles. He was awarded Educator of the Year in 1987 and the Founders Award in 1991. He was TETA President from 1989 to 1991. In 2006, Jim received the TETA Emeritus Award, acknowledging his tireless efforts to promote high quality theater programs across the state, which, in turn, produced high caliber students and exciting theatre productions in many Texas communities. Additionally, he collaborated with the Houston Grand Opera and Theater Lab among many other professional and educational institutions. He was an active supporter of the arts (visual, performance and literary) in Houston, throughout Texas and across the U.S. Jim retired in 2004 and enjoyed traveling and spending time with family and friends. His lifelong interest in plants spurred his involvement with the Walker County Master Gardeners Association, deepening his knowledge of plants and ecology and honing his gardening skills. Jim was well known, well liked and well respected. He will be greatly missed. He is survived by his daughter, Lee Mary Miller, and granddaughter, Emma Michela Giacomello of Huntsville; son, Eric Stone Miller, and daughter-in-law, Sarah Hart Miller of Austin; sister, Lois Stevens, and brother-in-law, Robert Stevens of Salem, Oregon; brother, David H. Miller, and sister-in-law, Jeannette (Jan) Satterfield of Elgin, Illinois; brother- in-law, J Hill Anglin of Yukon, Oklahoma; ten loving nieces and nephews and a large extended family. He was preceded in death by his wife, Julee Stone Miller (2004); parents Reverend Ralph Randolph Miller (1972) and Mary Charlotte Peterson(1974); sisters Arvilla Belle (1930), Ruth Lee (1978) of Omaha, Nebraska, and Mary Anglin (2008) of Yukon, Oklahoma. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Jim and Julee Miller Theatre Scholarship Fund for theatre students at the SHSU Department of Theatre & Dance, Box 2297, Huntsville, TX 77341-2297; or to Thee Hospice of Huntsville at P.O. Box 6548, Huntsville, TX 77342-6548. A celebratory memorial of Jim's life will be held October 4th at 11 AM in the Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home Chapel.

James R. Miller

August 25, 1938 - October 4, 2008