11+ years ago a vibrant women called me at home in New Mexico and wanted to do a telephone interview for an RN position I had just applied to the night prior. I was eating a breakfast burrito at the time I received the call, and I was totally unprepared. That conversation lead to a job offer in San Antonio Texas. I was a new graduate nurse, without much to offer...I later found out I was selected because my name was interesting. 
Vickie Miller was a nurse for 42 years. She started nursing "back when Noah got off the ark." 
I was blessed enough to enjoy the last nearly 12 years of it. 
I truly believe God places people in your life for a reason. Vickie grew me from a baby nurse, to a part time backup Charge Nurse, to a full time Charge Nurse, to an Assistant Nurse Manager, to Nurse Manager and I am continuing to grow in the profession. She always believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. 
She was good at that. Believing in people. Taking new nurses and molding them to continue to grow and reach their potential, even if that meant leaving the nest and spreading your professional wings. 
Creating a culture of acceptance and love. She was passionate about everyone being a learner and a teacher if you work on our unit. 
Fearless leader, innovative, ambitious. "If you continue to do what you have been doing, before you know it you will be behind." "Lets try it, and if it doesnt work we can evaluate and make some changes." Never too scared to make some brave and bold changes. Ones that other units would soon adopt afterwards. 
Family. Once a part of our 5N family, you always remain a part of the family. She genuinely cared about her work family and their families at home. For me it extended beyond that. She treated me like one of her own. I learned a lot about faith, motherhood, being a wife and so much more. 
I wish I could bottle up the words of wisdom she so often spoke. I pray to live up to her expectations and continue to make her proud. 
Love you always, 
Lura 

My Guiding Light
For me, Mom was something different. When I was young, she was my playmate. I remember being picked up in gentle arms and being placed on her hip; then we would go dancing across whatever room we were in. We would dance to country music or to gospel music; it didn’t matter to my mom which. At the end of each song, she would swing me around and around and then clutch me to her chest for a great big hug.
	“I love you, Christy,” she would laugh as she kissed my cheek, then sat me on my little feet. Of course, it wasn’t long until we were off again, whirling across the floor.
	Sometimes, she would set me up on the counter while she was doing the dishes. She would turn off the radio and we would sing every song that she knew. As I grew older, I realized that she made up words to the songs she sang because she couldn’t remember the real ones, but back then I thought that we were just having fun learning songs. It was even more fun because the words were never the same from one time to the other. Other people may sing “The Old Rugged Cross”, “Jingle Bells”, or “Hello Darlin”, but absolutely no one has ever sung them like Mom and I did!
	My mom always smelled of cinnamon, apples, baking bread, and home, probably because she was always baking some of her family-famous rolls, doughboys, sugar pies, or Apple pies. During those cooking sessions, she would either place me on a chair beside her or up on the table so that I could help. I am sure one of the reasons her baking was so good was because she let me stir, or pour in some of the ingredients, or watch the clock to make sure we waited just the right amount of time.
	I do remember an incident when she left the kitchen and, instead of taking me with her, she left me in the kitchen alone, while I was there alone, I naturally decided to “help”. So, I went to the refrigerator that stood between the two windows that faced the sink and the cabinets on the far wall.

My Guiding Light
I excitedly opened the refrigerator door, with my eyes shinning brightly, I reached inside and grabbed the cartoon of eggs. As I pulled the eggs out of the refrigerator, I heard a gasp. I turned around suddenly and dropped the eggs onto the floor. In the stillness of the moment, you could hear each and every egg break.
Due to my asthma I remember the nights Mom stayed up with when every breath I took felt like I was a fish out of water. There were times that she would rub my back because my back muscles were sore from the struggle of drawing breath, times that she would hold my head as I vomited from all the medications that I had taken, times that she would get down on her knees in prayer, praying that I would get well, and suffer any more.
	My mom filled my childhood with music, laughter, love, understanding and just the right amount of discipline.
	As girls grow older their relationships with their moms change. Some become closer to their moms, while others tend to grow apart. Sometimes they lose the relationships that they had as a child. The relationship that I had as a child with my mom hasn’t changed, we have just added to it. There are still times that we turn the radio on and dance around the house. We still dance to “The Old Rugged Cross,” “Jingle Bells”, or Hello Darlin.” Some of our weekends are still filled with baking, but now the “little helpers” are the grandkids. And we have both learned from our experiences that you do not leave the “little helpers” in the kitchen by themselves. We go to the mov ies together. When me is my mom.
	You cannot pick who your parents are, but I know that if I were to meet my mom for the first time that we would be friends.
	My mom has filled my adult life with music, laughter, love, understanding, friendship. For forty-five years she has been my hero. 


My Guiding Light
She has always been here. I have not had a time or moment that I could not see her, touch her, smell her, or sense her presence. She stands no taller than 5 feet 3 inches, but there were times in the past that you would swear that she had grown to be ten feet tall. 
	At those times, I would have the feeling of a giant towering over me. These images are so powerful because I can count on one hand the number of times, I’ve seen my mom get that angry. Most of those times could be credited to my younger brother—who by himself, turned my mom’s hair gray before its time. Imagine coming into the living room and finding the chandelier in pieces on the floor because Timmy had been playing “golf”!
	Then there was the time that mom was going to take us to school. Mom and Timmy seemed to have clash of wills often, but my sister Betsy and I always bet on Mom to come out the winner.
	“I don’t want to go to school today,” Timmy told Mom one morning. 
	“Yes , you are, and you are going to behave while you’re there. I do not want to get a call from school. “Do you hear me?” She asked as she backed out of the driveway and started down our tree-lined country road. 
	“Yes, I hear you but I’m not going to school.”
	“I will not repeat myself. You are going,” she said firmly as she stopped at a stop sign.
	“The you will have to catch me!” he yelled as he opened the car door, jumped out, and started running around the car.
	Mom just sat there a moment, not quite believing that Timmy had jumped out of the car. Then, in the blink of an eye, she had jerked the care into park and shoved the door open. The chase was on. I remember my sister and me on our knees in the back seat just laughing. We laughed so hard that not only did our sides hurt but we also had to pee. The chase ended with my mom sitting on Timmy. We all went to school that day. To this day, we still laugh about it.
	It wasn’t that Timmy was bad boy; it was that he was too smart and too energetic for his own good.

Vickie, you will be missed dearly.  You were a wonderful leader and a very compassionate person. 
Thank you for your patience and encouragements. I am proud to be part of your team. you have fought a good fight, your reward is awaiting for you in heaven.
May the good Lord welcome you to your sweet home in heaven.
May your soul  Rest In Peace. Amen 

Vickie.  You were  the big sister that I loved and was glad to be apart of your Family. I know you are smiling because you are with your mom and dad and Judy. I will truly miss you big sis. Prayers to your family.  Love you.

Vickie, I  am  so thankful I will see you again in heaven one day.  I know  you  pray others will see Christ through your life, you led by love and example .  I'm  thankful  for  the  time I've known you  and grateful  you hired me giving me a start to a career.  While you have left a hole in so many lives I'm  thankful to God  you are in his presence whole and happy.  Love you.

Vickie you where always with a smile and encouraging words. Through out my treatment you showed me how to fight and be humble. I will share your legacy with others who are fighting the good fight. God knew I needed you in my life so he placed us together and I thank him everyday for that.  Vickie rest in peace with our savior we will meet again. Thank you. 

I call her (Mama Vickie) Sweet lady Beautiful smile very patience with me has an ear to listen . Thanks for all your help an encouraging words hugs when I had tears that's why you was my (Mama Vickie) you was there to say it's going to be ok. Thanks for letting my children feel apart of the family . Mama Vickie RIH. (  will miss the candy jar).

One of the sweetest people I have met in my life.  Always giving encouragement to others with a smile that lit up a room!  You will be missed sweet Sister

Mrs. Vickie Miller,
You were someone very special to me and will always be, because you have left that legacy in me. Thank you a million times for being such a supportive leader. A truly good leader/boss is hard to find,  difficult to part with and impossible to forget; you were more than just a leader, but rather a caring guide to me. Nothing I can say will ever convey the amount of gratitude I owe to you for making me feel part of a family.  Your continued support and motivation made me reach this day. Memories of your leadership will remain to be my inspiration each day.  I am truly grateful and in peace , with the knowledge that you are resting in glory.  You will be truly missed but always remembered.
Thomas Samura,RN. 
Methodist hospital. 


....a DEAR LADY,dedicated Professional,and  wonderful Friend...she is a Blessing in my life...

Vickie, you will live on in my life as I care for my patients in the manner you taught me by being a fabulous director and leader. You’re lesson in getting everything just right for patients was a beacon I always strive for. Thank you for blessing me with just a small slice of your time. 

May your meeting in heaven be glorious! 

Love Always,
Danielle, RN 

I really love this lady she was always so sweet to me when I worked 5 north. I never saw her without a beautiful smile on her face. The lord has a beautiful Angel now . I will miss her dearly. May she rest in heavenly peace.

OBITUARY

Vickie Joan Woods Miller

July 1, 1953 – January 25, 2019

Colonial Funeral Home

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