Doris “Peggy” Folger Miller was affectionately known as Peggy from the day she was born. Born on September 24, 1931, in Peoria, Illinois, she was the youngest of four children. At the age of two, she moved with her family to Long Beach, California. The family relocated frequently, which led Peggy to attend numerous schools. After her mother passed away when she was 13, Peggy lived with various friends and eventually had to leave Wilson High School to work and support herself. In 1950, she married Richard “Dick” Howard, and they had two children, Karen and Kenneth.
The end of her marriage to Richard led to her union with Ken Miller in 1965, expanding her family with two stepchildren, Ken D. Miller and Patty Dunmore.
Peggy was an active community member, serving as the president of the Longfellow PTA and a Girl Scout leader. She worked at GTE until retirement, contributing to the implementation of the 9-1-1 system in Southern California. Her leadership extended to Musical Theatre West and other civic organizations.
Her passion for musical theatre was evident in her daily life, often singing around the house and leading songs on tour buses across 33 European countries. A surgical complication unfortunately damaged her vocal cords, ending her singing days.
Peggy’s love for her family was paramount; she seldom missed school events and hosted all the birthdays and special occasions, including legendary Christmas Eve parties where she led the singing of carols, culminating in a spirited rendition of “The 12 Days of Christmas” with hand motions.
A fan of classic black-and-white movies, Peggy’s faith was strong; she cherished her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and anticipated a joyful reunion with her family in heaven, as expressed in 3 John 4. She was a member of the First Baptist Columbia.
Peggy passed away on June 19, 2024, at her home. She is survived by her daughter, Karen (Bill) Donehue; son, Kenneth (Christy) Howard; stepson, Kenneth D. (Sue) Miller; stepson-in-law, Richard Dunmore; along with her 22 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, Ken Miller, and her stepdaughter, Patty Dunmore.
In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to Samaritan’s Purse (SamaritansPurse.org), Jesus Frees Ministries (JesusFrees.org), or a charity of your choice.
A private celebration of life will be held at a later date.
