|
|
Dr. Ellword Miller was born on January 14, 1943 in St. Louis, Missouri to Eugene Jimmie Lee and Rhodia Bell Miller. He was one of four children.
Ellword, affectionately known as “Woody” by close family and friends, attended Sumner High School, where he excelled in baseball, basketball, football as well as boxing. He left St. Louis in 1961 to attend Western Michigan University, where he studied education, played football and became a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. It was also at Western Michigan that Woody met Georgella (Cookie), the woman he would marry in Detroit, Michigan in 1967, and with whom he would spend the next 43 years.
In 1966, Woody began a thirty six year career as an educator and administrator with the Detroit Board of Education, passing on an opportunity to pursue a football career in the NFL.
During his tenure, he was instrumental in shaping academic and athletic programs that were committed to supporting academic excellence and positive youth development outcomes for thousands of Detroit students. In all of Woody’s professional and personal endeavors, he always exemplified the pursuit of achievement in every field of human endeavor, and a fundamental commitment to the development of the African American community; especially African American youth.
Woody enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, playing golf and tennis, and enjoying both national and international travel with his wife and their close friends. The highlight of his travels came when they visited South Africa, Kenya and Egypt during March and April of 2010.
Woody transitioned from this physical life on February 25, 2011. Preceding him in death were his loving parents, and brother, John Miller. He leaves to cherish his wonderful memory his wife, Georgella; two sons, Khari Askia Miller (Lynda Watson-Rodriguez) of Raleigh, NC, Oronde Miller (Amina Watson) of Bowie, MD; two daughters, Melonie and Valerie Morrow of San Antonio, TX; three wonderful grandchildren, Aya Nyela Miller and Damani Askia Miller of Bowie, MD, Holly G. Morrow of San Antonio, TX; a loving sister, Barbara Miller of St. Louis, MO; a brother Jimmie Miller of St. Louis, MO; four sisters-in-law, Ruth Simms (David) of Detroit, MI, Pearl Corley of Sanford, NC, May Lockhart of Gaithersburg, MD, Rose Hurston of Southfield, MI; two brother-in-laws, William Burgess (Vera) of Southfield, MI, Claude Burgess (Shirley) of Sacramento, CA; several aunts, a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and other loving relatives and friends.
|
