MELISSA A. MILLER

ROME – Melissa Ann Miller, 48, of Rome, passed away on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, following a lengthy illness. She was born Melissa Ann Rodgers to Leo and Suzanne Rodgers, of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, on April 22, 1974.

Melissa grew up on her family’s farm, and attended Tamaqua High School, in Tamaqua, graduating in 1992. She then attended Messiah College, in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, from which she graduated magna cum laude in 1996. She served for many years as a decorated schoolteacher in Bethlehem and Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and in Waterville and Belgrade, primarily teaching fifth grade which was a favored age for her.

After her children were born, Melissa became a full-time homemaker, devoting her life to raising her family, though she also found time to volunteer in the local schools, at her church and for many years at a Christian summer camp, in Farmington.

Melissa was a charter member of Living Water Community Church, in Waterville, and Oakland, where she worshiped for over 20 years. She was a long-time leader in the church, serving especially in the children’s ministry and in women’s ministry. She was able to minister to hundreds of children over the years, teaching them the fundamentals of the Christian faith, but she also was adept at discipling adults and inspiring them to seek greater spiritual maturity in their lives.

Throughout all of her roles of service over the years, Melissa’s life was marked by her humble, gracious way of giving to others, always focusing on their needs over her own. One of Melissa’s great passions for over 15 years was serving during the summers at the Girls Camp, at Farmington. She served in many positions over the years, eventually as a co-director of the camp. At camp, she was able to influence an entire generation of young women, encouraging them to grow in their Christian faith while also enjoying a fun-filled week of camp activities such as archery, swimming and kayaking, as well as arts and crafts and personal worship times. And, of course, she got to teach the girls a lot of silly camp songs and perform in crazy skits. The enduring camaraderie between both campers and staff was a major source of pleasure in Melissa’s life.

In her personal life Melissa enjoyed many pursuits, including baking and cooking, gardening, kayaking, hiking and camping among other interests. She was a capable artist working in several media over the years, and she enjoyed blessing her friends…