Karen Miller

Karen E. Miller died unexpectedly on Dec. 26. She was the youngest of six children born to John J. Miller and Louise E. O’Banyoun Miller and grew up in her Roxbury neighborhood surrounded by aunts, uncles and grandparents. Karen was recognized for her dedicated work in helping to bridge the health services utilization gap in the Black community. She was instrumental in the creation of Be Healthy, the Bay State Banner’s health care supplement, which went on to win awards for excellence in health care reporting.

Karen attended the David A. Ellis and Henry L. Higginson schools before graduating from Girls’ Latin School. She obtained a degree in nursing from Boston University. During the 1960s, she worked at Harlem Hospital.

She earned a doctorate in public health from the University of Texas, Houston and in the 1970s, began working for the Tenneco Corporation. She helped create Tenneco’s in-house health insurance programs, leveraging the organization’s sizable workforce to negotiate low rates from hospitals around the world and help cut the cost of health insurance while providing top-level care to employees.

Years later, Karen returned to Roxbury from Houston and spent the last 25 years working at the Bay State Banner, a family-founded community newspaper primarily targeting an African American readership.

Karen enjoyed walks around Franklin Park and took great joy in greeting everyone she met along the way. She loved taking Zumba classes, attending her regular Zoom gatherings with friends, going to dance performances and participating in events that celebrated the rich history of Roxbury, including the annual Patriots’ Day celebrations in John Eliot Square. She was active in the Girls’ Latin Alumnae Association.

She was predeceased by her two sisters, Gail M. Anderson and Linda D. Miller.

She is survived by three brothers, Melvin B. and wife Sandra Casagrand of Roxbury, John E. (Jack) of Roxbury, and Robert D. and wife Clare Cox of Plymouth. She also leaves a niece, Lauren Miller; and six nephews, John K. Miller, Yawu Miller, Zwelibanzi Miller, Jason R. Miller, Kenneth S. Anderson and Darryl Anderson.

A private celebration of Karen’s life will be held by the family at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284 or via www.dana-farber.org/gift.