Madeline R. & Lester E. Miller Scholarship
TYPE OF FUND: Scholarship DATE ESTABLISHED: April 2000
PURPOSE: To provide an annual scholarship, on a rotating basis, for seniors at Tucker County High School and Petersburg High School.
DISTRIBUTION: On alternating years, the Scholarship Committee of TCF will review applications from two high schools and make recommendation for the recipient to the board of Directors of TCF. Mr. and Mrs. Miller’s family asks that the recipients not be required to have a lengthy history of school and/or community activities, particularly if those students did not have access to transportation. Emphasis should be on a desire for an education following high school.
VARIANCE POWER: If, in the judgment of the TCF Board of Directors, the restrictions and conditions of the fund become unnecessary, incapable of fulfillment or inconsistent with the charitable needs of the community, the TCF Board of Directors maintains the right to modify the terms of this fund. TCF has exclusive legal control over any contributed assets.
FUNDING: Initial funding by Thomas H. and Roberta Miller Lantz. “She was a teacher,” Mrs. Miller’s older daughter, Roberta Lantz, said as she initiated the fund to memorialize her mother.
BACKGROUND: Madeline Richards Hickman Miller of Arthur (Grant County) was a native of Parsons. Born April 27, 1916 at Parsons, Mrs. Miller was a daughter of Stanley B. Hickman and Lena Schoonover Hickman Nesbit.
Following her graduation from Parsons High School in 1933, Mrs. Miller attended Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, WV and Fairmont State College in Fairmont, WV. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Frostburg State College, Frostburg, MD She taught 35 years in Tucker and Grant counties and two years in Morrow, OH. She ended her teaching career at the Maysville Elementary School in 1978. She also worked at the Tucker County Welfare office. She was a member of the Blackwater Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, at Parsons, and was proud of her eligibility to this patriotic organization, being a descendant of Christopher Nutter, founder of Nutter Fort (Harrison county), Benjamin Schoonover, early settler in Randolph County, all of whom were veterans of the Revolutionary War, and Sothia Hickman, a founder of Clarksburg. For many years Mrs. Miller was a member of St. John’s Methodist Church in Parsons. At the time of her death she held membership in Main Street United Methodist Church, Petersburg.
Mrs. Miller was survived by a sister, Mrs. Jean Burns of Parsons, and her husband, Lester E, Miller (to whom she was married 62 years) who resided at their home in Arthur. Mrs. Miller died April 23,1998 at Grant Memorial Hospital, Petersburg, WV.
At the time of her death, Mr. Miller remained in their home in Arthur. Lester E. Miller was born Feb. 24,1914 in Erwin, WV, Preston County, the son of the late O.B. and Savilla Wotring Miller. He attended Limestone School near his home on Limestone Mountain in Tucker County. He married Madeline Hickman on April 20, 1936, at Red House, MD. A decorated veteran of WWII, he served as a squad leader and later as a platoon leader in Company E 501st Parachute Infantry, 101al airborne division during the invasion of Normandy. His citations included the Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal and a Silver Star. Following active duty Mr. Miller worked with the Civilian conservation Corps in West Virginia which helped develop roads and park systems in the Eastern Panhandle. He worked for J.M. Huber Corporation 15 years, Sites’ Excavation eight years and Advantage Foods five years. Mr. Miller was a life member of General Robert S. Garnett Veterans of Foreign Wars in Parsons and later at Post 6454 in Petersburg, WV. He resided in Arthur, WV until his passing; Mr. Miller was an active counselor in the 4-H program in Tucker County and an avid outdoorsman. He mostly enjoyed teaching youth the pleasures and benefits of outdoor activities. He stressed the importance of firearms safety by visiting schools and education young people in the safe, responsible use of guns, and of the significance of the right to keep and bear aims.
Mr. Miller had many cherished friends in many area of West Virginia. His fondest memories included Ins activities in the rugged, wild county of Canaan Valley and Blackwater River prior to modern day development. He died Feb. 18,2001 at approximately 4:45am at the Veterans’ Hospital in Martinsburg, WV.
Mr. and Mrs Miller were the parents of two daughters, Mrs. Thomas (Roberta) Lantz of Petersburg and Mrs. Phyllis Vaughn Harman of Arthur, and a son, Airline Capt. Kurt L. Miller of Sandusky, OH. At the time of Mr. Miller’s death there were nine grandchildren, Mrs. Keith (Merina Lantz) Martin, Sr., Mrs. Gary (Sheree Lantz) VanMeter, Mrs. Clifford (Kristy Lantz) Morgan, Thomas Lantz and Anna-Marie Lantz Taylor, and Lester and Yvonne Lantz; and Aric Miller; and Carrie Ann Vaughn, Mrs. Bryan (Kimberly Vaughn) Helsley, Michael Vaughn. There were also 13 great-grandchildren, Keith (Jr.) and Lance Martin, Jason, Laura, Logan and Troy VanMeter, Robert Lantz, Anna and Nikki Lantz; and Ashlyn and Brandon Helsley, Amber Vaughn and Jacob Scott Miller; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Mr. Miller also was survived by a very special friend, Virginia Beckman. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were preceded in death by a grandson, Steven George Vaughn, Jr.