Ex-teacher volunteered at museum in Findlay
4/12/2007FINDLAY - Joann Marie Miles, 73, a retired teacher who volunteered for the community, died Tuesday in Blanchard Valley Hospital of complications from cellulitis.
Mrs. Miles' career in education spanned 32 years.
She began teaching in 1956 as a first-grade teacher in Perrysburg schools. She later taught largely the gifted children groups of grades four through six, which she helped develop, first in Findlay and later in Katy, Texas, where she retired in 1988 after four years.
"She was a person who could bring the best out of her students," her husband of 50 years, Larry, said. "And she cherished talking to former students about their [professional] progress."
In retirement, Mrs. Miles returned to Findlay, where she volunteered as a board member of the Mazza Enthusiasts for the Mazza Museum, a children's literature museum at the University of Findlay.
She also volunteered as a member of various committees at Bowling Green State University, where she received the 1983 Alumni Service Award.
Born in Wood County's Webster Township near Luckey, Mrs. Miles, whose maiden name was Schroeder, graduated in 1951 from the former Troy-Luckey High School.
She later received a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in education, in 1955 and 1981 respectively, both from BGSU.
During her senior year at the university, Mrs. Miles received the Future Teacher of America Award from the National Education Association, of which she was a lifelong member.
Mrs. Miles was a member of St. Andrew's United Methodist Church, Findlay.
Surviving are her husband, Larry; son, Eric; daughter, Sara Hunziker, and five grandchildren.
Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today at the Kirkpatrick-Behnke Funeral Home, where services will begin at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow. The family suggests tributes to the Joann M. Miles Scholarship Fund at the Mazza Museum or to the Joann Schroeder Miles Scholarship Fund in Elementary Education at the Bowling Green State University Foundation Inc.