Nancy Elaine (Taylor) Miller

Nancy Elaine Taylor Miller died peacefully at home in Vilonia, Arkansas, on Sunday, May 15, 2022 after a  short struggle with colon cancer.

Nancy was born on April 30, 1939 to Edith Hildegard Bogusch Taylor and Kelvin Newton Arnold Taylor in Santa Rosa, California. She graduated from Petaluma High School in 1957, and later from Santa Rosa Junior College and San Francisco State College, with degrees in English and Social Science.

In 1962 in San Francisco, Nancy married Leslie “Sonny” Miller, who was originally from Dennard, Arkansas.   By 1965, he convinced her to return to his home in Arkansas to begin a new life. Her first teaching position was at Marshall High School, where she taught Speech, American History and World History from 1965 to 1979. Mrs. Miller transferred to Clinton Middle School in 1979, teaching English, American History and Social Studies until retirement in 1995. A sincere passion for teaching and for students opened many minds and touched many hearts, leading to lifelong friendships.

After retirement, Nancy stayed busy with the Van Buren County Library, the Van Buren County Multidisciplinary Taskforce, traveling to visit friends in California, and keeping up with former students.  Attending class reunions in Marshall and Clinton gave her tremendous joy and her favorite class of all time was the Clinton High School Class of 1986, which happened to include her daughter. Nancy moved to Vilonia in 2009 to be close to family.  Her days were happily filled playing a very active role in the lives of two grandchildren, Nick and Janie, reading, writing, and watching cows graze in the pastures around her house on the hill. She also spent countless hours on the genealogy of the Bogusch, Taylor and Miller families.

Nancy is preceded in death by her husband and parents.  She is survived by a daughter, Melanie (Chris) Gentry of Vilonia; grandson, Nick (Abby) Gentry of Colombia, MO; granddaughter, Janie Gentry of Vilonia, and long-time friend, companion, and partner in grandparenting, Bill Henry.

A memorial service will be held Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 2:00 pm at Ozark View Funeral Home in Clinton, Arkansas. A reception for family and friends will take place following the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to The Salvation Army.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Ozark View Funeral Home. To leave condolences or share a memory, please go to www.ozarkviewfuneralhome.com. 

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