Jay Roy Miller

Jay Roy Miller was born in 1956 in Waterloo, Iowa, to Barbara Ellen Johnson and Forrest Robert Miller, and passed away at the age of 69 on June 28, 2026 in Vienna, Virginia. He lived a life shaped by faith, service, and a generous, joyful engagement with the world.

Jay was of German, Scottish, and French heritage and spent most of his childhood in West Virginia, growing up alongside his five siblings. His family was introduced to the Bahá’í Faith when he was a young boy, and he embraced it wholeheartedly. From an early age, he was known for his cheerful disposition and open, outgoing spirit—though he would later insist that he had been intensely shy as a child, a claim few who knew him found easy to believe. His smile—one of his most recognizable traits—served throughout his life as an easy bridge of connection with others.

As a child, Jay spent several years bedridden with rheumatic fever. During that time, the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh—particularly those centered on love, unity, and spiritual purpose—became a sustaining force for him. He eventually recovered, and at the age of 12, his family moved to Florida, where he completed his schooling. A well-liked and socially engaged student, his experiences with illness and healing would later shape his vocational path.

Jay credited his recovery to the care of a chiropractor he began seeing after years of unsuccessful medical treatment—an experience he viewed as transformative, inspiring a lifelong calling to help others heal. With limited financial resources, the path toward that goal was not easy. Nevertheless, he persisted with determination, optimism, and faith.

In the summer of 1976, Jay met Sharon Gower at Green Acre Bahá’í School. They married a year later and spent the early years of their life together in service within the Bahá’í community, including periods at the Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute in South Carolina and the Green Acre Bahá’í School in Maine. Their shared commitment to faith and service became a defining feature of their nearly five decades together.

Jay and Sharon had two children, Jason and Kelly. In 1985, the family moved to Davenport, Iowa, where he attended Palmer College of Chiropractic, earning his doctorate in December 1989 and fulfilling a lifelong aspiration. The family later returned to Florida, where Jay practiced chiropractic for nearly thirty years, serving thousands of patients with care, professionalism, and genuine warmth.

Throughout his life, Jay was guided by the belief that service to humanity is service to God. His devotion to his faith and his commitment to healing were not separate pursuits, but deeply intertwined paths—each reinforcing the other in his lifelong service to others. He also served the Bahá’í community in numerous capacities over the years, including as a delegate to the National Bahá’í Convention, as an assistant to the Auxiliary Board for Protection, and through his service on Local Spiritual Assemblies.

He was known for his friendliness, his readiness to engage in conversation, and the ease with which he made others feel welcome. He also enjoyed sharing that he was a distant cousin of Mark Twain—a connection he was always delighted to tell others about.

In 2020, Jay and Sharon relocated to Virginia after thirty years in Florida. In a short time, he became an integral part of his new community, forming friendships and contributing meaningfully to the lives of those around him.

Jay is survived by his beloved spouse, Sharon Gower Miller; his children, Jason Miller (spouse Emily Miller) and Kelly Yazdani (spouse Eugen Yazdani); his grandchildren, Noah, James, Ella, Julia, and Violette; his sister, Sandra Granda; and his brother, Patrick Miller. He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings Michael Miller, Sherry Tucker, and David Miller.

Those who knew Jay remember him as a man of faith, optimism, and generosity of spirit—someone whose warmth, smile, and commitment to service left a lasting impression. He aspired throughout his life to “love with a ray of the infinite love,” a principle that guided both his relationships and his work. His legacy lives on in his family, his community, and the many lives he touched through his example.

In lieu of flowers, Bahá’í friends are invited to make donations in Jay’s memory to the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Fund, and others may wish to honor his life through a charitable contribution of their choosing.