Janice Wade- Miller

Janice Mary Wade-Miller, 66, cherished wife of Roy Miller, beloved sister, aunt, in-law, friend, advocate and colleague to many, passed away in Tallahassee on Friday, November 9th, after a long illness. She was a bright light in the world; a light that was extinguished prematurely by mesothelioma. Jan never lost her positive attitude, and her ever-radiant smile never dimmed. Independent, strong and determined, Jan took care of herself to the maximum extent possible, continuing her mission as a nutrition educator and believing in her ability to overcome obstacles. Jan was born in Chicago’s Oak Park on October 3, 1946 and lived there until her family moved to Fort Lauderdale in 1953. Eventually they settled in Clearwater Florida. Jan graduated from Dunedin High School where she was a cheerleader and member of numerous organizations. After earning an A.S. degree from St. Petersburg College in Dental Hygiene, she practiced as a dental hygienist for 17 years. It was during this time that she attended the University of Florida in Gainesville but left school to care for her seriously ill sister. Also during this time Jan fought and won a five year battle (1978-82) with Hodgkins disease, a cancer of the lymphatic system. Jan retired from dental hygiene to become manager and co-owner of The Daisy Shop, a 2,000 square foot apparel, gift and beach store originally founded by her mother, Sophie Wade, inside the Sheraton Sand Key Resort, Jan distinguished herself in retailing for 10 years. At the age of 48, Jan refocused on her passion for science, enrolling at Florida State University and completing a bachelor’s degree in nutrition science with a minor in psychology. She was one of seven students admitted to the FSU graduate program in nutrition science and completed her master’s degree in 2002. Jan flourished as a nutritionist, and it was clear to all who knew her that she had found her true calling. After Jan and Roy relocated to the Tampa Bay area to care for his aging parents, she was employed at the Pinellas County Extension service (2002 to 2010) as a nutrition educator. At the time of her illness she had recently begun writing articles that were published in Grand Magazine and Tallahassee Magazine. A devoted life partner and soul mate to Roy, Jan always had a special place in her heart for Tallahassee, where she and Roy maintain a townhome to accommodate Roy’s life’s work as a child advocate. In fact, Jan was a driving force behind Roy’s founding of The Children’s Campaign in 2002 and was a regular contributor to the statewide advocacy organization’s work and mission on behalf of Florida’s four million children. Jan was a fan of football and tennis and she and Roy traveled frequently to major tennis tournaments. She was a loyal Gator fan and also loved golden retrievers. She doted on Shawnee, their 11-year-old golden. Jan’s passions included counted cross-stitch and embroidery and one of her free-style creations won a statewide award and hung in the Museum of Fine Art in St. Petersburg. Jan is survived by her husband of 30 years, Roy Miller; her brother, David Wade of Clearwater; and 12 nieces, nephews and seven brothers- and sisters-in-law. A celebration of life service for Jan will take place in Tallahassee on Saturday, January 19, at Goodwood Museum and Gardens, Carriage House, located at 1600 Miccosukee Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32308. Arrival of Guests starts at 1:30 p.m. with the Celebration of Life at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that gifts be sent to Big Bend Hospice in Tallahassee or the Janice Wade-Miller Education Fund at The Children’s Campaign to support a student intern each semester focused on health and nutrition policy issues impacting children. The address for The Children's Campaign is POB 1718, Tallahassee, Florida, 32302.

Tributes

Janice Wade- Miller

October 3, 1946 - November 9, 2012