Barbara S. Miller

Miller

Barbara S. Miller, 75, passed away on May 4, 2025, with her daughter by her side at Marietta Memorial Hospital in Marietta, Ohio, after a long battle with MS.

Born to parents Harriet Rice Sprague and Col. Dr. William G. Sprague, Air Force, on May 6, 1949, in Cleveland, Ohio, Barb was an Air Force brat who grew up all around the country with her two siblings, Patricia and Nancy. For the majority of her life, she was raised on Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. After graduating from Richard Montgomery High School in 1967, in Rockville, Maryland. She received her bachelor’s degree in science in 1972 from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. While in college, during her summer breaks, she would travel to Washington, D.C., to work at Walter Reed in the business offices. In the late 60’s early 70’s, she was a proud member of the Women’s Rights and the Civil Rights Movements. In 1970, she met her husband, David A. Miller, at Ohio University. They were married in November 1972 in Athens, Ohio. In 1974, Barbara gave birth to her only child, Jennifer C. Miller. While raising her daughter with her husband, she worked several years for Dr. Rothstein and Dr. Ortman at their Family Practice. She also went back to Ohio University and received her master’s degree in health and human services administration in 1993.

After graduating, she received her license as a drug and alcohol counselor and worked for Health Recovery Services in Athens before deciding to move to Marietta, Ohio, and continued her work with recovering addicts in Washington County. She helped establish a chapter of Narcotics Anonymous in Marietta, Ohio, in the late 90s and early 2000s as a safe space for those in recovery to share in fellowship. Barbara Miller was a pioneer in advocating for her clients and those in recovery to have a second chance at life, and the community of Marietta, Ohio, will always remember her for those contributions.

Barbara was preceded in death by her husband of 35 years, David A. Miller; her father, Col. Dr. William G. Sprague, Air Force; her mother, Harriet Rice Sprague; and her sister, Patricia Blakely. She is survived by her beloved daughter, Jennifer C. Miller, of Marietta, and her sister, Nancy Schneider, of Nebraska.

There will be a Celebration of Life Service on Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Athens, Ohio, at Jager and Sons Funeral Home located at 24 Morris Ave. from 2 – 5 pm. Instead of flowers, the family requests donations be made in the name of Barbara S. Miller to the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation at www.nationalmssociety.org or sent to their headquarters at National MS Society, 900 S. Broadway, Second Floor, Denver, Colorado 80209. Please share a memory, a note of condolence or sign the online register at www.jagersfuneralhome.com.