Karen Leann Miller

Karen LeAnn Miller passed away in her home on November 12, 2023, surrounded by family and friends. She was born in Portland, Oregon on March 19, 1948, to Lee and LaVerne Holder and was one of those rare life-long Oregonians.

An only child, she became fiercely independent at a young age and was adept at making and keeping friends. She attended Portland Christian from kindergarten through high school graduation in 1966 (she loved to fondly say that hers was the class of 66 … the class that really clicks!). A few of her kindergarten friendships survived the 70-year test of time, an incredible and rare gift that she treasured.

After high school graduation, Karen pursued her bachelor’s degree in education at Oregon College of Education (now Western Oregon University) in Monmouth, OR. She graduated in 1970 and decided to accept a job at Price Waterhouse (PW now PricewaterhouseCoopers PwC). The PW Portland office had less than 30 people and Karen was quickly recognized for her work ethic, organizational skills and writing talent. She traded her dream of becoming a high school English Teacher for the job of teaching and correcting writing at all professional levels at PW. Her skills forged her career path from receptionist, steno pool, recruiting secretary, administrative supervisor, office manager, to several positions involving communications, and she ended her career as a communication’s director for the top brass of PwC in a National position. She pioneered working from home in her pajamas long before it became everyone’s reality! Karen retired from PwC in 2008 so that she could travel the world with her husband Roger. And they truly made the most of those fifteen years.

In 1976, on a trip to Central Oregon with a friend from PW, they visited a fire lookout tower outside of Bend, Oregon, where she became enamored with the brilliant guy who manned the Round Mountain Lookout. Putting her extraordinary writing skills to work after returning to Portland, she composed a letter to Roger Miller telling him what a treat it had been to meet him. With fingers crossed, she mailed the letter and was absolutely thrilled when he answered in kind. As luck would have it, he was every bit as smitten with the brilliant young lady who had visited his lookout perch! After a hike in the Grand Canyon (one of several), they were married on November 30, 1978. Karen spent many summer vacation weeks perched high above Round Mountain in a tiny fire lookout with Roger, book in hand.

Karen loved traveling with family and dear friends. She visited Europe, China, Cuba, and Morocco. But perhaps her favorite place in the entire world was a special beach house in Lincoln City. It was a home-away-from-home, and she spent countless hours there reading, playing games, watching the waves and the stunning sunsets, and tracking animal sightings in and out of the water. The day she looked up and spotted a pig walking the beach became the stuff of legends on her animal sightings list.

Karen was preceded in death by her father (Lee Holder), her mother (LaVerne Schroeter), and her stepfather (Carl Schroeter). She is survived by her beloved husband (Roger Miller) and countless friends. She was indeed a rare gem … kind, loving, smart, thoughtful, generous, over-the-top-witty, a voracious reader and an exceptional writer. As one of the many people who loved her remarked, “the world just became heavier with the loss of her light spirit.” She was loved by many and will be missed so very much.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of her favorite charities: Providence Portland Medical Foundation for the benefit of the Providence Cancer Institute Franz Clinic, Friends of the Multnomah County Library, or The Oregon Humane Society.