Barbara A. Miller

Dr. Barbara “Baabi” A. Miller died at the age of 82 on April 27, 2023 in Oakton, Virginia. A Beloved mother and grandmother, she will be remembered and missed for her strong will, intelligence, beauty, desire to help and teach others, devotion to our Lord, engaging conversations, and fabulous cooking. She had been a Philosophy and English college professor and published writer, known for getting her students to truly think, since getting her PhD in Metaphysical Philosophy from Catholic University in 1982 until her retirement in 2018.

Baabi was born on October 26, 1940 in India to Frederick and Lillian Miller. Frederick Miller was in the British military and died during WWII. Lillian raised Baabi and her brother Reg Miller in Hyderabad, India, making a living by running an infirmary at a girl’s college. When Baabi was young, her teacher asked her to step in and teach the class about a topic. This event was what began Baabi’s calling to be an educator.

She was an excellent student and earned a scholarship to Kansas State University, where she received a Master of Arts in English Literature in 1964. She also met her future husband Bing Chiang at Kansas State. After graduating, they both went to the University of Missouri, where they got married. Baabi also switched her graduate school focus to Philosophy.

Bing earned his PhD and the couple moved to Maryland where they had 3 children (Asuntha, Michael “Miki”, David). Baabi raised children while going to graduate school at Catholic University of America. She earned her PhD in Philosophy and started teaching for the University of Maryland in College Park and as far away as Okinawa, Japan. Baabi was known for her engaging intellectual conversations and her mastery of cooking especially Indian and French cuisine. She was a voracious reader of philosophy, theology, and literature, and loved travelling and learning about cultures and food. Baabi loved and nurtured her children to the best of her ability and given circumstances.

The family briefly moved to Florida, where Baabi taught at Rollins College, and Brevard Community College. Baabi started her writing career with a lengthy published article “Baby Harvest 2000” where she outlined the ethical and philosophical dilemma of the push to create fetuses and babies for their stem cells and parts.

In 1990, she and Bing got divorced after 25 years of marriage and moved to Lanham, Maryland. From then until 2018, she was an award-winning Professor teaching Philosophy, English, Literature, Ethics, and Logic courses among others at multiple local colleges including University of Maryland College Park including adult college and affiliates, Bowie State University, Prince George’s Community College, Towson State University, and Montgomery County Community College. Baabi was known for pushing her students to the best of their ability and to really think instead memorizing answers. She was also committed to helping her children however possible. In 1992, Baabi gave up her full-time teaching job and moved to a permanent adjunct position in order to raise and care for her first grandchild Andrew.

She retired in 2018 and moved to Oakton Virginia to live with her son David and his family. In the last years of her life, Baabi was finally able to overcome her decades long battle with depression, which started with her mother’s death in 1976. This led to a stronger vigor to enjoy life and be happy. She joined a church group to discuss religion and enjoyed teaching her youngest 3 grandchildren. Baabi was known as the “Prayer Warrior” as she said multiple rosaries a day for family members. She died quite peacefully April 27, 2023, at home after over 2 months of hospice care. She left behind her 3 children and 9 grandchildren (Andrew, Matthew, Sophia, Ava, Amanda, Tori, Adam, Caroline, Joseph).

There will be a Catholic Funeral Mass on May 29th (Memorial Day) 2023 at 10:30 AM at The Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria Virginia. Inurnment will take place in Autumn, 2023. All are welcome.