Frances Higham Miller

Frances Higham Miller passed away March 13,2020. She was predeceased by her father, Eustace Miller, Mother, Nell Darby Miller, brother Dr . Eustace Miller, Jr, and sister, Nell Miller Johnson. She is survived by a nephew David W. Johnson, Jr., and niece Frances J. McGraw both of Columbia, SC.

Frances spent her life in aviation. She started working for Owens Field in1948, earning her pilot’s license in 1949 and her commercial and Flight Instructors ratings in 1950. On Sept 23, 1959, Frances was honored for being the first Lady in SC to achieve the Air Transport Rating.

In 1951 she became a flight instructor for Hawthorne Aviation and became a FAA Pilot Examiner in 1957 administering more than 3,100 flight examinations during her 30-year career.

In1964, she started Miller Aviation at Columbia Metropolitan Airport where she taught over 6,000 people some aspect of aviation.

Frances was inducted into the South Carolina Aviation Hall of Fame in 1991.

She was an humble person, never talking about her aviation accomplishments. Her mantra was, “Do your best while you are alive and don’t worry so much about the rest.

She retired from her 30-year distinguished aviation career, bought a house in Mt. Pleasant, SC in1986 to be close to her aunt.

May her memory be a blessing to all who knew and loved her.