James L. Miller, 73

Jim was born on April 02, 1943 in Youngstown, Ohio to Doris and John Miller.  He later moved to Winter Haven, FL with his family.  In 1961 he joined the United States Navy.  After a brief tour of just nine months he returned to Winter Haven to marry his High School sweetheart, Peggy Cox.  Together they began a Navy career.  Jim was called to serve in Cuba during The Bay of Pigs. His career brought him to Jacksonville, FL and onto Durham, NC.  While stationed in Durham their first child Jennifer was born.  During the next duty station in Elmira, NY their second child Jeff was born.  The family traveled to subsequent duty stations in Alexandria, LA, Albuquerque, NM and the last duty station was Brooklyn, NY.  In February of 1982, Jim retired from The Armed Forces Reserve Center as a United States Navy Chief Petty Officer.  The family moved to the Jacksonville, FL area.  Upon discovering that retirement wasn’t for him Jim returned to the work force where he sold Real Estate, worked for the State of Florida (G. Pierce Wood State hospital, University of N. Florida and the Duval County Health department).  In 2005 he began serving the residents of Penney Farms Retirement Community (PRC).  While at PRC Peggy went home to be with the Lord in 2006.  Continuing to serve at PRC he met and later married Carolyn Handy Vicknair.  After retiring from PRC in 2008 he and Carolyn continued volunteering and that later took them to the N. Georgia Mountains where they settled in Hiawassee, Ga for the next several years.

He is survived by his wife Carolyn Miller, daughter Jennifer and husband Tony Mallamaci, son Jeffrey James and wife Sheril Miller, step-daughter Felicia and husband Tom Hirsch and step-son Terry Vicknair, 8 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

Funeral Services will be held at 3:00pm Wednesday, March 15, 2017 in the Chapel of Russell Haven of Rest.  Visitation with the family will be one hour prior to the memorial service at 2:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to any of the following charities – Almost There Ministries, P.O. Box 343, Young Harris, GA 30582; Helping Hands 4 Africa, https://www.betterplace.org/en/discover-projects; or BSF, https://www.bsfinternational.org/ways-tdonate;jsessionid=94ebaab10d895dc80660d7b0e52c.

Arrangements are under the care of Russell Haven of Rest Cemetery, Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 2335 Sandridge Road, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043.  Family and friends may share their condolences at: www.RHRFH.com 904-284-7720