Polly Corn Miller

Polly Corn Miller, 63, of Columbus, Georgia, passed away peacefully on Wednesday afternoon at Saint Francis Hospital, surrounded by those that loved her best. She was born to Betty and Lovick Corn on July 17th, 1952. She was the second of five sisters, and grew up with a large family. She graduated from Westminster School in 1970, and attended Stratford College, the University of Georgia, and Columbus State University, ultimately earning a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1975. In 1973, she married her adoring husband, Walter Miller. Four years later, in 1977, she gave birth to their first son, Gilbert. Six years after that, in 1983, she gave birth to their second son, Pierce. She loved both boys with all of heart, and she spent all of her time and energy being the best mother they could ask for. She had a remarkable instinct in the kitchen, on par with chefs of far higher pedigree. The right seasoning and spice was always the one she chose, and her ability to add richness and complexity to even the simplest of meals was legendary. She loved Italy, as it embodied so much of her philosophy of life: food, laughter, love, family. Her trips to that country always left her feeling re-energized. Her real comfort, though, was found in Saint Simons Island, a place where she would simply say that her words could never describe how the sun and the sand and the ever-rolling tides lifted her soul. The only other place of greater peace for Polly was Saint Luke Church. She always said that the sanctuary felt like home to her. She participated in with their Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels, and Altar Guild groups. Polly also was a trustee of LaGrange College and the Columbus State University Foundation. She was, as is widely known, the best grandmother anyone could ask for. In recent years, her light grew exponentially brighter when she was in their presence. Polly was preceded in death by her father, Lovick Pierce Corn. She is survived by mother, Elizabeth (Betty) Corn, her sons, Gilbert (Jamee) and Pierce (Becky), her grandchildren William (3), Eli (1), and Benjamin (5 weeks), her sisters Elizabeth Ogie (Mike), Susan Wainright, Abby Irby (John), and Kate Wilson (Ronnie), and numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation will be at Striffler-Hamby on Thursday, from 5 to 7pm. The funeral will be held at 2pm on Friday at Saint Luke United Methodist Church in Columbus, Georgia, with graveside immediately following at Parkhill Cemetery. Polly was the world's best giver of gifts, as any of her friends and family would tell you. She gave freely, generously, and had a remarkable sense of both purpose and timing. Oftentimes, she would send the perfect gift at the perfect time. While none of us wished for her to pass, her generosity of spirit is now being rewarded. The gift she received Wednesday morning is beyond anything we could've hoped for, and one that only God could provide. Should you wish to honor her memory and her generous spirit, donations can be made to Meals on Wheels of Columbus or the Polly Corn Miller Endowed Scholarship Fund at Columbus State University.