Katharine Ann Miller, 76, of Tryon, NC, died peacefully at her home on Thursday, July 9, 2026 after a long illness.

She was born in Charleston, WV, daughter of the late Thomas R. Miller and Ann Rhodes Miller, who retired to Tryon in 1978. Katie grew up in Chappaqua, NY, earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature at Manhattanville College, completed pre-med courses at Columbia’s School of General Studies, and later earned a master’s in psychology from NYU. She was dedicated to a life of integrity and compassion.

In the financial industry, she rose to the position of Vice President in the Personal Asset Management Division at the Bank of New York, before moving to Tryon in 2001 to care for her mother, following her father’s death. In a creative detour during the 1990s, Katie owned and operated the Wild Bird Center in Westport, CT, an endeavor in keeping with her deep love of nature and all living creatures. She supported numerous causes including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Carolina Conservancy, and St. Jude’s Hospital for Children. She devoted countless hours as a volunteer at the Outreach in Columbus, NC, whose mission is to provide compassionate assistance to Polk County residents who lack the resources to provide for their basic life needs. She served as secretary of the homeowners’ association for Hunting Country Trails in Tryon. She loved music, photography, poetry, fiction and nonfiction, and was an active book club member. Her interest in science began early: As a child, she drew sap from her family’s maple tree, which she boiled into syrup, and conducted an experiment with her father refracting sunlight through a convex lens, generating combustion in the driveway! In her teens, she assisted at a veterinary clinic, was awarded all-county goalie in field hockey, and was a lifeguard in summers. In Tryon, Katie participated in the master gardener program conducted by the N.C. Cooperative Extension Center for Polk County.

Beyond these achievements, Katie’s greatest gifts were her tender heart, her sensitivity to the challenges facing others, and her abiding friendship for many fortunate people. She had a great sense of humor and was a perceptive, but generous, observer of human nature.

Her family will never forget her. Her beloved brother, Stephen R. Miller, died in 1991. Survivors include her sister Barbara (Babby) and brother-in-law Peter Jensen; niece Robyn Miller Jensen and her husband, Edward Tyerman; nephew Luke Stephen Jensen and his wife, Caitlin Dolan, all of Oakland, California. Katie’s grandnephew, Leo Jensen, and grandniece, Emma Tyerman, have cherished her quiet, generous presence in their young lives. Her cousin, Edith Sedey, lives in Oregon.

Katie’s last days were made easier by the loving attention of her many friends, the exemplary caregivers at Four Seasons Hospice, and the expert medical providers at Advent Health of Hendersonville.

A memorial for Katie will be held in Tryon later this fall. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Outreach, 134 White Drive, Columbus, NC, 28722.