John Elwood Miller

John Elwood Miller, 83, of Harrisburg, NC, passed away Monday, September 15, 2025, at Terra Bella Senior Living in Harrisburg, NC.

He was born on January 9, 1942, in Cankton, LA, to the late Etta and Willis Miller. He was also preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Jacque Miller. They are finally back together again.

Survivors include his three daughters, Rachael (Lionel) Benavidez, of Sunnyside, NY; Emily (Terry) Guarisco, of Knoxville, TN; and Lauren (Kevin) Cary, of Davidson, NC and his five grandchildren: Hannah, McKenna, Alden, David, and Ryan.

John graduated high school as valedictorian, before enlisting in the Air Force. He was deployed to Taiwan during the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged from service in 1970. He was a loving husband and father, who provided for his family and dedicated much of his life to being a newspaper publisher. His career took him all over the country, moving from paper to paper in Lafayette, LA, Rocky Mount, NC, Opelika, AL, Marianna, FL, Valdosta, GA, Florence, SC, and back to Lafayette, LA where he retired. John also called other cities home for a time: Marshall, NC, Asheville, NC, Knoxville, TN, and finally Myrtle Beach, SC. It was during retirement that John began writing and publishing a series of novels. He used his travels as inspiration and his Cajun heritage as the basis for his characters in the books. He enjoyed taking walks on the beach by the Surfside Pier or having dinners at J Peter’s with friends. John and Jacque spent much of their time in recent years traveling to see family or their close friends.

Funeral Services for John Miller will be held Saturday, September 27, 2025, at 11:00am at Hartsell Funeral Home in Concord, NC.

Memorials may be made in John’s name, to the charity of your choice.

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