Sister Miller's Big Day

Octogenarian Rezna Johnson Ford Miller was beside herself with joy, as dozens of family members, friends, and other well-wishers jammed the Cornpiece playing field in Clarendon to celebrate her 80th birthday.

'Sister Miller' (formerly Rezna Bryan), as she is affectionately called, went down the aisle on three different matrimonial occasions, first to Noel Johnson, then to Frances Ford (all deceased) and currently to Vincent Miller. Mrs Miller's first two marriages produced six children, of the six two have died.

Lorna Johnson, Jamaica's consul general to Los Angeles, describes birthday celebrant Miller as an iconic, philanthropic, hard-working, resilient mother and friend, who rose from very humble circumstances to relative prosperity.

Burning coal

"My mother started out burning coal, which she would sell, and the money saved from this venture was used to purchased clothes which she walked around in Hayes and sold . She saved from the clothing business and invested in a bicycle, the bicycle that allowed her to travel far and wide to peddle her goods," reminisced Ms Johnson on her mother's meteoric rise.

A very please Ms Johnson further related that the clothing business expanded and before long Mrs Miller bought a car and went islandwide selling her wares.

"With the acquisition of the car, mother was now selling clothes and other items across the island. On one of her trips to St James, she met Noel Johnson, who became husband number one and father to four of her six children," informed Ms Johnson in an interview with Outlook.

Unfortunately, Noel Johnson succumbed to cancer and died, leavening four young children, but Rezna Miller after some time later married husband number two, Frances Ford, and and two more children were added to the family.

Frances Ford, her second husband, also died, leaving six children and a mourning Mrs Miller, who later married husband number three, Vincent Miller.

"We have had a very good life as children growing up in Hayes because our mother worked very hard to ensure we had everything we could ever want. She believed that we must have a good education and, in so doing, sent all of us to high school and four of us to college, both here in Jamaica and the United States," stated Los Angeles Consul General Lorna Johnson.

We grew up witnessing our mother sharing with the less fortunate of this community, therefore we feel that on this important milestone, mom's 80th birthday, we must continue the tradition of giving and hence this big celebration. To honour the memory of the late Dr Ionie Mcpherson of New York, and in celebration of her mother's 80th birthday, the family awarded three scholarships to students of Vere Technical and Glenmuir high schools at a fun day in community on Sunday, August 14. A fitting tribute indeed.


Full Caption
Birthday girl Rezna Miller was up and about, making the rounds at the celebrations to mark her 80th birthday at Corn Piece Settlement, Clarendon, on Saturday, August 13. Here she prepares to greet Odette Dyer (left) who travelled from Montego Bay to celebrate the milestone. Also sharing in the occasion are Lor-ren Cousins (second left), chair of the Jamalco Refinery Committee Council, and Phillip Biggs, senior community relations officer, as her granddaughter Lorren McPherson (second right) and daughter Lorna Johnson (right) try to keep up.