Obituary: Catherine Lanham Miller

Catherine Lanham Miller, 85, a Carson City resident for the past 23 years, died May 7, 2003, at her home. She was born in Greensburg, Ind., to William Henry and Ethel Ewing Lanham.

She attended Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind., where she was a member and chapter president of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She graduated in 1938 with a bachelor of music degree.

She spent three years teaching in Evansville, Ind., and the next three years, she worked in Washington, D.C., including for the Office of War Information. After the war, she held wrote advertising copy for Crowell-Collier's The American Magazine and Young & Rubicam Advertising Agency, both headquartered in New York City.

She married Robert Blake Miller in 1950, and they moved to Philadelphia. She also lived in Bryn Mawr, St. Davids and Charlestown Township. In Pennsylvania, he wrote copy for TV Guide and the Gerald F. Selinger Advertising Agency.

Starting in 1968, she wrote hundreds of articles for national magazines including Good Housekeeping, Harper's Bazaar, Ladies' Home Journal and House Beautiful. She also wrote a book, "How to Say Yes to Life: A Woman's Guide to Beating the Blahs."

She became a talk-show guest and appeared more than 100 times, including "The Mike Douglas Show." She also traveled the country as a spokeswoman for Listerine.

She wrote a column for the Philadelphia Enquirer.

She was a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, a nationwide organization of freelance writers, and she donated her papers to the Lilly Library at Indiana University.

She enjoyed playing the piano.

Among her survivors are her sons Robert Blake Miller III and Ross Lanham Miller, both of Carson City; daughter, Melissa Ewing Rugge of Santa Barbara, Calif.; and grandson, Christopher Blake Ewing Miller of Reno.

At her request, there will be no service.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Brewery Arts Center or the Carson City Library.

FitzHenry's Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.