Frances Norman Miller

Frances Norman Miller, age 94, of Lake Mary, Florida, passed away on May 19, 2024. She was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on December 18, 1929, where she had an idyllic childhood with 3 brothers who gave her the life-long nickname of “Sis”. She graduated from Central High School in Murfreesboro, where she was the homecoming queen. Then, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanderbilt University, where she was a cheerleader and president of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, as well as a teaching certificate from Peabody College in Nashville. After college, she taught ballet and kindergarten.

Frances lived in several states with first husband Russell M. Faulkinberry, who was a college football coach, settling in Lafayette, Louisiana, where she lived for over 50 years. She stayed at home with daughters Lee and Mary in their early years, during which the neighborhood kids knew that something interesting and creative would always be happening at their house, like theater productions, cooking lessons, arts and crafts, and Barbie ranches that overtook the living room. When she returned to work, she had a long career teaching, then becoming a Supervisor for the Lafayette Parish School Board, retiring at age 69. During this time, she also earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, in early childhood education. She was a pioneer in promoting the school readiness of preschool-age children from low-income families through starting the Head Start program in Lafayette schools in the 1970s. Teaching reading and handwriting were her professional passions.

Frances was a devoted Christian and a life-long member of the Baptist church, where she taught Sunday school at First Baptist Church of Lafayette, which she described as her most rewarding service, and also sang in the choir. It was there that she met second husband Robert D. Owen, Sr. Sis was also a member of Delta Kappa Gamma (a professional society for women educators), P.E.O. (a women’s philanthropic organization) and the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was an avid bridge player and loved playing cards and board games, at which she showed no mercy. In different phases of her life, Frances enjoyed golf, tennis and dancing. She was an animal lover, having grown up on a horse farm, and she had a series of dogs, the last being her beloved Junebug.

Frances moved to Lake Mary, Florida in 2014 to be near daughters Lee and Mary, as well as her grandchildren Christian and Linnea. She was a resident of Oakmonte Village, where she started a Bible study group and the now annual Carols and Candlelight holiday service. Frances was active in bridge and dominos groups and enjoyed going out to restaurants and shows. She was loved by staff and residents alike. Frances was also a member of the Heathrow Women’s Club, an organization "socializing with a purpose" for the betterment of women and children in Seminole County, as well as the First Baptist Church of Sanford, Florida.

Frances was preceded in death by parents Edward E. “Pluck” Miller, Sr. and Leila Mae Johnson Miller, brothers Edward E. “Ebby” Miller, Jr., Bradford C. “Bud” Miller and William C. “Billy” Miller, and son-in-law Carl Christian Martti Helenius. She is survived by daughters Leela Faulkinberry Granger and Mary Faulkinberry Helenius, and grandchildren Christian Russell Martti Helenius and Linnea Frances Elizabeth Helenius. Her daughters and grandchildren were “the apple of her eye”.

Memorial and burial services will be held in Murfreesboro, Tennessee at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the International Missionary Board at https://www.imb.org/generosity/give-now/, please click on “Lottie Moon” on the upper left of the landing page, or Heathrow Women’s Club Charities at https://heathrowwomensclub.org/update-donations. Scroll way down to the Christine’s Safe Pet Fund section, then press the Donate button below that.

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