BARBARA ELAINE (HOOD) MILLER

Born July 9, 1936 in Marion, Indiana
Departed August 19, 2023 in Satellite Beach, Florida

Barbara Elaine (Hood) Miller, of Satellite Beach, Florida, died at home surrounded by beloved family. Barbara was born in Grant County, Indiana in the City of Marion on July 9, 1936 to Victor and Dorothy Lucille (Moore) Hood, the fifth of six children. She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Kenneth Miller, her daughter, Karen (Miller) Buchanan, her son-in-law, Vern Buchanan, and her grandson, Justin Buchanan; her son, Steve Miller, her daughter-in-law, Kim (Franklin) Miller, and her grandchildren, Ben, Alex, and Abby Miller, her daughter, Linda (Miller) Rothstein, and her son-in-law, Lance Rothstein, and many cherished nieces and nephews and other family and friends. She was predeceased by her son, Kenneth Miller, Jr., her parents, her brothers Alfred, Howard, and James Hood, and her sisters Suzanne Hood and Anne (Hood) Cleverly.

Barbara was born and lived in Marion, Indiana before she moved with her family to Hyattsville, Maryland and graduated from Northwestern High School. She worked on Capitol Hill as a secretary to an Indiana Congressman before meeting U.S. Navy Petty Officer Ken Miller through her friend, Grace Wolf and her boyfriend, Bing Miller, Ken’s brother. Ken and Barbara married seven months later.

In 1969, Barbara settled with her growing family in Florida, where she met lifelong friends Carol and Gary Noel, George and Cindy White, and Joan and Dan Olszewski. Invited by her friend Sue Sorenson, Barbara became a member of Ascension Lutheran Church in Indian Harbour Beach, where she sang with the choir, often as a soloist, and served as a volunteer on the Altar Guild, in Sunday School, and Vacation Bible School. She worked as a secretary at Central Middle School and Satellite Beach City Hall and, through the years, volunteered at Holmes Regional Medical Center, for her children’s schools and activities, and with her husband for the Brevard Sharing Center. She supported many organizations that touched her heart.

Temporary moves to Arizona and Alabama afforded Barbara and Ken the opportunity to explore new places like Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, and Fort Knox, Kentucky, where they had the pleasure of welcoming their first grandchild, Justin. But they were both delighted when they were able to return permanently to Satellite Beach.

After their children began their own families, Ken and Barbara started traveling in earnest, with Tampa being one of their favorite destinations to visit grandchildren, Ben, Alex, and Abby. They had many adventures with friends and family, including cruising the Caribbean, appreciating national parks, hiking the Pacific Northwest, exploring Paris, and discovering Rome. Their adventurousness sparked the same in their children and grandchildren, who continue to enjoy traveling locally and internationally.

Barbara was a kind and generous person, who loved her family and friends, all children and animals (especially birds), and a good bottle of wine. She was loved and cherished by those who knew her. She always had a positive disposition and rose each day eager to make the most of it. She invariably did.

Services will be held at Ascension Lutheran Church, located at 1053 Pine Tree Drive, Indian Harbour Beach, Florida 32937, on Saturday, September 23 at 2:00 p.m. The family will receive friends and family following the service in the church’s Fellowship Hall. Memorial donations may be directed to Ascension Lutheran Church.