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At the end of the day, Shirley Miller knew the day had been good if she had made people laugh through playing pranks. It was a ride she enjoyed.

No one was exempt from Miller’s pranks – not her family, co-workers, or friends.

Miller, a native and resident of Roan Mountain, died October 13 at the age of 78 after a brief illness. She had been in a wheelchair for the past three years, having been paralyzed from the knees down after undergoing surgery for an aneurysm in her back.

“She never let it get her down nor did it stop her from pulling pranks,” said daughter-in-law, Kim Miller, who was a caregiver for Shirley. 

“Shirley was a very feisty person and it didn’t take much to make her happy. She enjoyed playing ‘possum’ and it was a lot of fun most of the time,” said Kim.

Shirley’s best friend was Patsy Blackwell. The two had worked together for eight years at Iodent in Elizabethton and rode to work together. Patsy said they often would talk to each other on the phone before going to work and usually as she pressed clothes. She had many stories to share of her friend’s mischief.

Among Shirley’s favorite pranks was waiting for Patsy to go to the bathroom, and sneaking to her lunch bag, unwrapping a sandwich and taking a bite from it, and putting everything back. Of course, Patsy knew who the guilty party was. But, it always drew a laugh from her naughty friend.

Kim said her mother-in-law always wore her hair in a ponytail, “As long as I knew Shirley, she had a ponytail, was full of laughs, and pranks,” she shared.

Shirley enjoyed spending time with her family, shopping, going on road trips, cheering for her grandchildren at ballgames, and family gatherings.

“Her husband, Charlie, who died more than a year ago, was her best friend. She missed him so much,” said Kim.

When Shirley became unable to walk and had to depend on someone to take care of her, it was Kim who stepped up to the task. “It was hard for her not to get up and go and it was hard for me not to do for her. It was all God. I could not have done it without His help,” shared Kim.

One of Shirley’s favorite things to do after she became unable to walk was to go to Kickback Jack’s in Johnson City, where she played the duck machine. “She had an obsession with those rubber ducks,” said Kim with a laugh, who shared that last year she made Shirley a duck Christmas tree.

“It didn’t take much to make her happy,” Kim shared with a laugh. She noted that for the past three years, she had eaten bacon every day…she didn’t die from high cholesterol, Kim joked. Needless to say, Shirley not only provided some laughs, but a good time for her family and friends.

Patsy said she felt fortunate to have had Shirley as a best friend. “We not only worked together, we attended her grandchildren’s ballgames, went shopping together, did so many things,” Patsy shared.

She noted that Shirley was not only a witty person, but a very considerate person, as well as a good friend. “When my daddy had a massive heart attack several years ago, for three nights I slept on the floor outside the ICU where he was being cared for. Guess what? Shirley came and slept on the floor beside me all three nights. That’s what kind of friend she was,” shared Patsy.

“She was a joy to be around and I feel very fortunate to have had her as a best friend for all those years. I will truly miss her,” said Patsy.

During the recent flood, Shirley and her family had to evacuate their home and go to a motel. She had also lived through the Flood of 1998.

However, the floods are over for Shirley Miller. She is now at home with her Lord and her beloved Charlie…and for sure, she is bringing smiles to everyone’s face. And, on earth there are also sweet memories of Shirley, which from time to time cause them to smile, and occasionally chuckle.