Obituary of Celia Miller

Celia Rodriguez Miller followed her own blessing she gave to everyone who she told to “Go with God” and went to heaven to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on May 12, 2018.  Celia was a kind, caring servant of the Lord and was a wonderful wife and mother.  She touched many hearts with her unselfish, passionate, and serving heart.  Celia met Mark Miller in February 1977 and they married the love of their lives on July 21, 1984 in Joshua, Texas.  Celia and Mark were blessed with four children Markus, 28, Kristin, 26, Kimberly, 22, and Julie,21, and fourth daughter given to them through marriage, Kaitlyn True Miller.  Celia was also a loving and passionate “Gran” to Rileigh JoAnn Miller.  

Celia graduated from Texas Tech University with a BS in Medical Technology and was a passionate Red Raider. Celia loved to host the Texas Tech Meat Judging Teams and Meat Science graduate students in her home for meals and to spend the night.  She loved them all as her own children and spent many hours listening to and mentoring them.  Celia is responsible for many successes at the Texas Tech Meat Science program through her unconditional love and support of Mark and the students.  Celia was the owner and manager for Chief Line Red Angus, the family registered Red Angus cattle operation.  She loved cattle, especially the new babies.

Celia loved to cook and make jellies, pickles, pies, cakes, bread,and almost anything that would put a smile on people’s faces and in their bellies. She loved to garden and loved sharing the harvest with neighbors and strangers alike. She loved being involved with anything her kids and Mark were doing including church, sports, stock shows, and all school activities.  She loved her church and church family.  She taught junior high Sunday school and VBS for many years.  Her passion for God and life showed in everything she did and she loved doing for others. Celia mentored many young women and said she was always blessed to be this busy. Celia was honored to be selected by the Federal Land Bank to have her homemade jellies represent Texas cuisine to the congressional representatives in Washington D.C.

A Celebration of God’s blessings for Celia and the Miller family will be held at 1:30 PM on Saturday, June 16, 2018, at the Abernathy High School Auditorium and a meal for all who attend will be furnished in the school cafeteria by the family. For those wishing to honor her legacy, a Helping Hands Foundation Endowment to support those in need in the Abernathy community has been established in her name at the Abernathy United Methodist Church.  

Celia was born on February 10, 1961 in Alamogordo, New Mexico to Jose (Joe) and Celia (Sally) Rodriguez. Celia is survived by her siblings, Monica and Felix Carillo, Steven and April Rodriguez, Ryan and Rachel Lee, and Karen Fritz, as well as, her treasured nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.  Celia was known as the “Greatest Auntie”. Celia is also survived by her stepfather Don Lee of Joshua, Texas.  Celia found great joy in investing in the lives of her loved ones and everyone she met as she never met a stranger and shared the love of Jesus from her heart. Celia was blessed with family who were friends and friends who became family. 

To our beloved Celia, wife and mother, we say, “Go with God”and “Sweet dreams sleep with angels.”