Renee Roissier Miller

Renee Roissier Miller, 50, of Madisonville, died tragically on Wednesday, March 4, 2009.

She was raised in Laurel, Del., the beloved daughter of local pharmacists, Gail and the late Robert Roissier. She graduated from Laurel High School in 1976, and Salisbury State University in 1981. In college, she was a member of the varsity field hockey team and was voted a \"Little All-American\" player. It was as a student at Salisbury State that she met and began dating her future husband, Jamie Miller.

Following college, she lived and worked at Ocean City Health & Racquet Club. In her own fitness training, she began bodybuilding, and quickly achieved success winning state, regional and national titles.

With their dogs, Hub and Greta, by their sides, in 1984, Renee and Jamie set out for adventure and to seek their fortune in Alaska. While there, she continued to work in the fitness industry as a talented massage therapist. She and Jamie married in Anchorage, Alaska, in 1985. Later, she owned and operated an Alaska day care center, Building Blocks. The family moved to their home in eastern Tennessee in 1994, where she nurtured their growing herd of children and animals.

She was active in the community, particularly in the activities of each of her children. She coached and supported their efforts in soccer, swimming and gymnastics. She also formed and coached a precision horseback drill team, The Rarity Bay Rangers, which proudly marched in local parades and festivals.

She was known for her love of children and animals, her unfailingly cheerful personality, and her great sense of fun. She made friends everywhere she went and remained in touch with scores of people from every part of her life. Her family and many friends will also remember her lifelong fondness for the color red. She usually drove a red car, and often wore a red coat or carried a red purse. If you were picking out a gift for her, the choice of color was an easy one. She was the adored daughter-in-law of the late Joan Wood Miller, formerly of Ocean City, Md.

Survivors include her husband, Jamie, and their nine children, Joannie, Jackie, Jeremy, Jesse, Jason, Joey, Janna, Jerry and Jax, all of Madisonville; her mother, Gail Roissier of Sun City, Ariz.; her siblings, Michelle Roissier, of Washington, Suzie Roissier, of Arkansas, and Rick Roissier of Arizona; sisters-in-law, Jeanne M. Gaetano of Salisbury, Md., Terry Miller of Ocean City, Md., Kristi Miller of Illinois, and Cathie M. Fagerstrom of Virginia; and many grieving aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Friday in the chapel of Biereley-Hale Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to the Miller Children Fund, a fund for the benefit of her children, to: The Miller Children Fund, c/o Regions Bank, 101 Tellico St. S., Madisonville, TN 37354.

Condolences may be sent to: Jamie Miller and Family, 146 Campground Road, Madisonville, TN 37354.

Biereley-Hale Funeral Home of Madisonville is in charge of arrangements.