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She was born on June 30, 1939, Priscilla June Slack; daughter of one of the three sons (Lawrence Slack) born to Francis Slack, a stage driver who worked for Buffalo Bill Cody, and his Wife, Emma Belle Lafferty Slack. Priscilla told stories of how she grew up riding a white cow and creating Jackalopes and running on the bank of the Greybull River in Meeteetse, Wyoming. Her parents ran Slack Salvage, in Cody for many years. She had four male cousins who were more like brothers to her, their Dad (Clarence Slack) was another of the three sons raised up along Trout Creek above Cody, Wyoming in the 1890’s before the families moved to Meeteetse in 1902. Their Mom, Clara and her Mom, Grace Beightol were sisters from Illinois who came out to Wyoming because of an ad in a Chicago Newspaper looking for someone who could love both a Wyoming winter and a Wyoming cattleman.
When she was eleven she moved to Cody, and spent most of her life there. She went to college in Powell and in Laramie. In 1960 she got married To an Army Veteran from Pittsburgh, PA named Paul Miller. He worked and she taught second grade in Cheyenne, Wyoming but when they had children they moved back to Cody and raised their daughter and two sons there where they could be close to her parents and cousins. Along with Paul, she spent a lot of time exploring the area around Yellowstone and the Beartooths. They loved the rugged beauty of the Park and surrounding mountains. Whenever they could get a few weeks off, they loved to travel, usually to places where they had family and friends, so often it was to Pittsburgh, PA or Anaheim, CA both places where Paul’s large family lived, or to Illinois to visit her Mother’s extended family.
She was a Philanthropist, Priscilla Miller. Most often the name attached to the descriptive word "Philanthropist"will be found for a prominent family or well known wealthy individual. Priscilla Miller learned from her parents, Lawrence and Grace the true meaning of philanthropy. I call it being "other oriented" and putting others welfare above your own. Priscilla very quietly gave far more to community, family, friends and strangers than she ever kept for herself. It is very important to me that her community remember her for those silent acts of kindness and generosity beyond description.
She was a nurse who nursed so many people through sickness, although she never received training as a nurse, she was one by nature and compassion. She cared for friends, uncles, parents and her husband through cancer and other difficult times, and though it was brutally hard at times, she did it out of love. After Paul died of esophageal cancer in Feb. of 1997, she and her youngest son, Lance - traveled to California to visit grandkids, and to Guatemala on a mission to help build cinderblock homes. She took Lance to Washington DC to visit her son, Brett and his family and she reached out to friends and kept both herself and Lance active in the church, the senior center and in the community.
As she grew older and health issues slowed her down, she and Lance moved to Middleburg, VA where they could be close to Brett and his family. She had many good times there even as her health continued to decline. Right to the end she could enjoy a good meal or a visit from friends with a welcoming smile. She is survived by her daughter, Dixie (Greg Goode) and Her son, Brett (Emily Richter Miller) Her son, Lance and Five Grandchildren; Austin Goode, Lacy Miller, Emerson Goode, Luke Miller and Elise Miller, as well as two Step- Grandchildren, Caitlin Tabachka and Patrick Tabachka. She also leaves behind four Great-Grandchildren, Daisy Goode, Gavin Goode-Pitt, Trinity Goode-Pitt and Lincoln Tabachka. She is also survived by three of her close cousins, Roger Slack (Louise), James Slack and Donald Slack (Marion) and by the wife of her cousin Terry who preceded her in death (Patty), as well as by many well-loved cousins, nieces and nephews.
She will be interred at Riverside Cemetery in Cody, Wyoming as she wished, joining her husband and Parents and many family and friends within view of Heart Mountain.
I'm really going to miss you. Goodnight Mom.
