Jean W Miller's Obituary
Jean Maxine White Miller
1921 - 2014
Jean Maxine White Miller passed from this world on December 24, 2014. After spending her early years in Indiana and Illinois, she resided in St. Petersburg, Florida, form 1952 to1996 at which time she moved to Auburn, Alabama. She was the former Publicity Director for WSUN-TV & Radio in St. Petersburg then spent nine years as the Chief Copywriter for Stonebrook Advertising in Tampa, FL. While there, she not only wrote newspaper and radio advertising copy, but also wrote and produced most of the TV commercials for the Florida West Coast Belk-Lindsey Stores. For three years, Mrs. Miller served as a Teen Board Coordinator, Charm School Director, fashion lecturer, fashion judge, and Fashion Coordinator for area Sears Roebuck activities. For four years she wrote all the radio spots for Publix Markets. The highlight of her career was her fourteen years as a feature writer for the St. Petersburg Times, specializing in fashion and interior design. She made regular trips to New York City to cover fashion presentations and regular trips to High Point, North Carolina, to cover the furniture market. For several years, she also wrote a weekly fashion column. One of her favorite activities was interviewing persons of note, including Ralph Lauren, Bill Blass, Halston, Liberace, Ann Landers, Oscar de la Renta, Ginger Rogers, Vincent Price and Eve Arden, to name a few. She sought out interesting interviewees such as a female pioneer stunt flyer and several women who were CEOs of their own companies. She received a number of area and national writing awards from groups in the fashion and communication industries.
Mrs. Miller was preceded in death by her mother and father, Eva Loyce Bryant White and Floyd Otis White; her sister, Barbara White Wagner; her first husband, Ronald Miller; and her second husband Colonel Joseph Miller. She is survived by her son, Gary Miller (Carmen); her daughter, Lynne Miller Rose (Robert); four grandchildren, Kimberly Miller Sarmiento (John), Ashley Miller Grimaldi (George), Michael Ford, and David Rose; and one great-grandchild, Alexander Grimaldi. She was a member of St. John’s Catholic Church in St. Petersburg Beach and later St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Auburn. The family requests that any memorial gifts be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.
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