Earl Wayne Miller

Earl Wayne Miller November 23, 1934 October 10, 2014 Earl Wayne Miller, 79, went to be with the Lord Friday, October 10, 2014. Services will be held 1:00 p.m., Monday, October 13, at First Baptist Church of Waco, 500 Webster Ave., Waco, Texas 76706. Visitation will be 5:00 -7:00 p.m., Sunday, October 12, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey. Earl was born November 23, 1934, in Belton, Texas, to Clarence and Lillian Miller. Earl Wayne was an energetic child with a love for sports and a heart as big as Texas. He attended Belton High School where, in 1953, he became Belton's second all-state football player since the beginning of the selection of all-state teams by the Texas Sportswriter's Association in 1951. While at Belton High School, he also played basketball and baseball, ran track, and was voted "Most Athletic Boy" in his senior year. Earl Wayne graduated from Belton High School in 1954. He received a football scholarship to Baylor University where he was selected to the All-Southwest Conference Team, was named honorable mention All-American, and was part of the Sugar Bowl Championship Team of 1957. After graduating from Baylor in 1958 with a B.B.A., he was drafted in the twelfth round of the 1958 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. Earl Wayne met his sweetheart, Carole Estes, of Big Lake, Texas, 55 years ago while in Dallas for Texas/OU weekend. They were married in 1960. He served in the United States Army 49th Division in Leesville, Louisiana, as a First Lieutenant in 1962. Earl Wayne loved the Lord and accepted Christ as his personal Savior, and was baptized at First Baptist Church in Belton while in high school. He was an active member of First Baptist Church of Waco for 51 years, where he served as a greeter for 50 of those years. He was a Masonic Lodge member of Crawford Lodge 585 and also Waco Shrine Karem Temple in Waco. He served on the McGregor I.S.D. School Board from 1981 through 1990. He worked as a church furniture salesman for L.L. Sams, Miller Cowan and Associates, and Imperial for 51 years, traveling through Texas, New Mexico and Arizona to beautify places of worship. He was an avid Baylor fan bleeding green and gold and longtime member and supporter of the Baylor Letterman's Association, serving as president in 1985-1986. Earl Wayne loved spending time at his home away from home with family in Red River, New Mexico. His favorite activity was watching his daughters and granddaughters in all of their sports and activities. His greatest gift was his love of family and friends. This larger than life personality lit up every room he entered, and his kindness filled the room with joy and laughter. While his athletic legacy is admired by many, Earl Wayne will be especially remembered for his irresistible smile, his warm hugs, his kindness to all and his ability to make everyone with whom he came in contact feel special. He was a devoted husband, daddy, pops, brother, uncle, son and friend a "family man" with much integrity. He is survived by his wife, Carole Miller of Waco; daughters, Melissa Miller Hickey and husband, Carl, of Crawford, and Merideth Chambers and husband, Les, of The Woodlands; granddaughters, Jennifer Goff, Meghan Goff Harvey and husband, Cody, Mallorie Chambers, Natalie Chambers and Emilie Chambers; brother, Bill Miller and wife, Rowena, of Belton; niece, Lily Miller; and nephews, Ben Estes and Will Estes. The family is tearfully grateful to Providence ICU and Hospice nurses for their great care and love. The family has designated First Baptist Church of Waco for memorial contributions. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WHBfamily.com.