Dr. Mabrey Miller

Dr. Mabrey L. Miller, retired Academic Vice President of York College, died Sunday, January 18, 2009, at his home in York surrounded by his family. Dr. Miller was born in Newark, Arkansas, on September 28, 1922, to Earl and Mattie Miller. He graduated from Newark High School in 1939. He received his Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Bible from Harding College (now University) in 1943, and he received his Master's Degree in School Administration from Peabody College (now Vanderbilt) in 1953. He received his Doctorate in School Administration from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, NE.

On May 30, 1944, Dr. Miller was married to Madge Black from Valdosta, Georgia. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, along with their four children Wanda (Wendy) Shashoua (husband Albert) of Atlanta, GA, Ramona Ratliff (husband John) of York, NE, Dr. Bryan Miller (wife Amy) of Milford, NE, and Major Keith Miller (wife Rena) of North Bay, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Miller is also survived by 13 grandchildren. His parents, four brothers, and his son Kirk Miller, preceded him in death.

Dr. Miller had three primary interests in his career life: education and school administration; church ministry; and coaching and sports. He was very active in sports: playing tennis, basketball until age 70, and golf in his later years. He was formerly a coach of girls' and boys' basketball teams in Arkansas, taking his girls' teams to the state tournament three years in a row. He also refereed games.

He met his wife in a church campaign in Syracuse, NY, and after their marriage, they ministered for a summer in Schenectady, NY, and ministered full time with a church in Boise, ID, for two years. This interest in ministry carried on throughout his life, with his traveling to nearby towns to preach on Sundays, and after retiring from his full time position in order to teach part time, he and Mrs. Miller spent four summers in mission work in Kenya, Africa, and five summers in Samara, Russia. He also spent 47 years as an elder at the East Hill church of Christ, traveling and overseeing missionaries in Thailand, France, and Japan as part of his work in that capacity.

While Dr. Miller was serving as Principal of the high school in Batesville, AR, he started praying for an opportunity to be of greater service in his career. He soon received a call to consider a position as Registrar for a college about to reopen as a Christian college in York, NE. He accepted the position in 1956. He became Acting Dean in 1958, and then was appointed Academic Dean in 1959, after receiving his doctorate. He retained that position for 27 years until 1986, when he retired from that full time position to teach part time. He taught part time until 2007, when he retired.

During his time as Academic Dean, he headed up the Self-Study for Accreditation, helping the college to become the first two-year college in the state of Nebraska to achieve that goal in 1970. Upon this foundation the accreditation as a four-year college came about in later years. After this experience Dr. Miller became an Examiner with the North Central Accreditation Association to determine whether other colleges around the country were eligible for accreditation. When Dr. Miller had been at York College for 26 years he was honored by having the Student Center named for him.

Dr. Miller was a longtime member of the York Sertoma club, serving as President for a term. He also served at one time on the York Chamber of Commerce. During the school year 2005-2006 he was honored throughout the year with many celebratory events honoring his 50 years at York College. He was also honored by the City of York in the annual Yorkfest parade. During his tenure at the college the student body grew from 80 to about 500 students, and the campus grew from four to nine buildings in the physical plant. Students that have graduated from York College have now gone to all 50 states and many countries abroad, serving in many vocations and various ministries.

Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, January 24, 2009 at the East Hill Church of Christ in York, NE with Rick Eldred and Chancellor Wayne Baker officiating. Burial followed in York’s Greenwood Cemetery.