Julie Miller was born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the youngest child of Georgia Mae Jones Green, a schoolteacher, and James Frederick Green, a postman. She grew up as the baby sister of Sarah and Betty, mostly in Clinton, Tennessee. Julie studied German at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where she earned a bachelor’s degree and completed many graduate courses in German as well. She lived in the Knoxville area for nearly all her life.

Julie worked for over 37 years for the UT libraries, starting out shelving books at Hoskins and eventually becoming a night shift supervisor in Hodges, the main library. She was deeply appreciated by her colleagues and the many student assistants that she hired, trained and mentored over the years, for her dependability, smarts, quiet wit, and encyclopedic knowledge. Julie was an extraordinarily kind, thoughtful and generous human, and had a small circle of close friends who loved her dearly. Her long-time primary care doctor called her the sweetest patient he’d ever cared for.

Once she retired from the UT library system Julie became, in the words of one of her best friends, “a model of a minimal lifestyle”. She took great pleasure in giving away things (clothing, electronics, furniture, appliances…) to people or causes that could use them, especially to organizations who support the needs of recent immigrants to the Knoxville area.

Julie was active for many years in social justice causes and participated in various protests associated with those causes, such as protests over gun violence and over government shutdowns. She loved supporting causes that provided immediate help to those in need regardless of their citizenship, ethnic, gender, or religious status. Just after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Julie participated in a televised protest against gun violence; one of the hands tossing rose petals into the Holston River is hers. Her support of such causes was inspiring to others; here is a paraphrase of something one of her dear friends wrote. “My memorial to honor Julie is to pick up my sword and continue helping anybody that needs help. Julie knows that’s who I am and that’s who I was with her. Currently, I am helping a single mother with young children through a crisis complicated by an abusive father on the side. I will help her through this crisis and then I will help the next person that comes along. I do this in Julie’s honor. She’s helping me fight on because she’s with me and that’s what she would want me to do.”

She loved the outdoors, joining her library night shift colleagues on many hiking trips. Although she was a self-acknowledged introvert, she got interested in folk dancing and participated in dancing events over the years. She was a meticulously organized person who kept detailed records of finances, on-line accounts, and purchase obligations.

Julie was predeceased by her parents and sister Sarah Williams of North Carolina. She is survived by her sister Betty Gardner-Tuzzolino of Arizona, her niece Renee Carruthers, and nephews Kevin Gardner, Loren Williams, Steve Williams, and David Williams.

An informal gathering of family and friends is planned for April 20. If you are moved to make a gift in her honor, consider the Community Chest of Knoxville or a social justice cause that is meaningful to you. If you choose to give to the Community Chest, please send a check to: Community Chest of Knoxville 1508 N. Central St. Knoxville, TN 37917