Carol Yvonne Evans was born in Detroit, Michigan on March 27, 1935, when the forsythia was in bloom. She is the first child of Eugene Henry [Bob] Evans and the former Wilma Maude Watt.

Carol was a teacher her entire life. She loved her family above everything, seeking assurance near life's end that she would see each in Heaven, She opened her home and her heart to about two dozen men, women, young people, and twin 3-year-old girls, over 30 years' time. Some, with great affection and gratitude, still call her "mom."

Among her many interests were flower and vegetable gardening; baking cakes, pies and cookies; classical music; attending concerts and plays; choir singing; playing the piano and, most of all, teaching the Bible each Tuesday to woman in her home and in DuPage County jail and Illinois state prisons. She taught and lived her strong Christian faith. She belonged to women's groups in the local church and in the community where she lived.

Carol was involved in Angel Tree, the gift-giving Christmas program for prison inmate children; in organizing and running The Next Step, a weekly after-care support group and Bible study for former inmates. She mailed hundreds of Bibles to inmates on request. She also helped Fred with proof-reading and mailing The Narrow Way, a 4-page Christian newsletter he wrote and they sent every other month to about 900 inmates.

When Carol was 11 years old, she and her family moved to an 80-acre farm northwest of Lapeer, Michigan. She attended a one-room country school for two years, walking the one-mile distance across pastures and fields. After visiting several churches, the parents joined the Baptist church in Davison, Michigan. Carol made a profession of faith, accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior, was baptized and joined that church. Sunday in the mid-1940s was a day of worship, at church and Sunday school where she played the piano for "opening exercises." Sunday was a day of rest. The family did no work, did not go shopping, and "dressed our best for the Lord."

During her high school years, she was active in 4-H club and youth activities. She was graduated from Lapeer High School in June 1952, and went to Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan, partly because she was awarded an $800 scholarship to partly cover her four years. In the summer she worked in patient care and in the office typing pool at a large mental health institution near home, where her mother worked. She graduated from Hillsdale at the top of her 1956 class with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics, and a high school teaching certificate. She had joined Sigma Alpha Iota, a women's honorary music fraternity, and has maintained her membership and active participation ever since.

While at college, she sang in the college and local Baptist church choirs, where she met her future husband, Frederick W. Miller, to whom she was married on August 18, 1956. They moved to Decatur, Illinois, where they began their service to the Lord, as Sunday school teachers, youth group sponsors and choir members. Three years later, they moved to Royal Oak, Michigan, Fred's hometown, where Carol served as chairman of the Board of Christian Education in a large Baptist church. Their three daughters and one son were all born in Royal Oak.

The Fred Miller family moved to Massachusetts in 1967, were active in church and Carol's music fraternity. She volunteered in patient care on Sunday evenings in a spinal-cord injury hospital. The family moved to Glen Ellyn, Illinois, in June 1979, remaining in the same house for 39 years. She served as superintendent of the Sunday school at Village Green Baptist Church, and she and Fred both taught Sunday school classes. She has been involved in Vacation Bible Schools, and Christian Women's Clubs.

Somewhat frustrated as a strong-willed woman in male-dominated churches, she prayed for God's leading to another ministry of service. After 18 months, she was led into prison and jail ministry, first at the DuPage County Jail to teach weekly Bible studies to women, and also into Illinois state prisons to teach weekend Christian seminars to men and women inmates. for the next 25 to 30 years.

In 1986 she joined the Glen Ellyn Woman's Club and served as social chairman, treasurer and two different terms as president. She also held several offices in the local SAI music fraternity chapter. She was a member of Wheaton Bible Church. She lived in Eaton Hall in Covenant Living at Windsor Park, in Carol Stream, Illinois, since January 31, 2019.

Carol is survived by her husband of 64 years, Frederick W. Miller at Windsor Park in Carol Stream, Illinois; four children: Karen June Miller Westcott (Mrs. Thomas G.) of LaQuinta, California; Linda JoAnne Miller (the future Mrs. Charles A. Bryda) of Naperville, Illinois; Moyra Jane Gorski (Mrs. Thomas E.) of Wheaton, Illinois; and Todd Geoffrey Miller of Denver, Colorado; three grandsons, Paul, Tyler and Tommy Gorski; three granddaughters. Carissa M. Speelman (Mrs. Brian), Cailyn R. Ten Hoeve, and Anna E. Gorski; one great-granddaughter, Adeline Grace Speelman, a sister, Wilma-Jean Lancaster and niece, Alicia Lancaster, of Evanston, Illinois, as well as more than two dozen people who had lived under her roof for long and short periods. She was preceded in death by her parents, and an infant brother.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, April 18, 2021 from 2:00 until 6:00 p.m. at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL 60187. A funeral service will be held on Monday, April 19, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at Wheaton Bible Church, 27W500 North Ave., West Chicago, IL 60185. A livestream of the service can be found here: Carol Miller Funeral Private interment will be held at Oakview Cemetery in Royal Oak, Michigan.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Hillsdale College , Glen Ellyn Woman's Club, or SAI .

Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.