Bernice Miller boosts charity, shares motherhood memories
May 7—Balancing motherhood with a career at the Savannah River Site provided plenty of challenges for Bernice Miller, who is now retired from the nuclear facility and serving as one of the local Salvation Army's most active boosters.
She and her husband, Bobby, are familiar faces in December to shoppers who pass the doors of Lionel Smith Ltd., one of Aiken County's most prominent clothing stores, as they solicit donations for the red kettle drive.
"Bobby became a board member for the Salvation Army ... and then he volunteered me," she recalled. "I get the volunteers. This past year, I had 50 volunteers. Can you believe that? That's a good thing, because I had the flu twice."
On this Mother's Day, Miller is enjoying the spoils of retirement.
She now has some time for relaxation — something she appreciates after having handled the challenge of two kids and a rigorous work schedule. "It was pretty awful, trying to work from 4 in the morning until 11 at night," said Miller, whose family tree includes a son, a daughter, two stepchildren ("that I love dearly") and four grandchildren.
"We have all kinds of things for them to do ... but usually, we have picnics over here for almost every occasion, but my daughter said, 'Mom, why don't I take Easter and Thanksgiving, and give you some relief?', so we do that. We have a big party over at her house for Easter, and we also have the Christmases here, but she does Thanksgiving, because it's so close."
Capt. April Tiller, who helps guide Salvation Army activities throughout Aiken, Barnwell, Edgefield and Allendale counties, shared some thoughts on Miller's roles, noting that Miller came on board a few weeks before COVID-19 leapt into international headlines.
The Millers, she noted, live close to the Salvation Army's shelter and help raise money for it. Bernice Miller is "always going to a fundraiser or an event for another nonprofit organization, so she's one of those mothers who truly lives the example of giving back, and she encourages her children to live that way," in Tiller's words.
Miller is a native of Graniteville, having been born "five miles out in the country" and then moving into the town itself at age 13, becoming well acquainted with the former Leavelle McCampbell Middle School campus along the way. She moved to Aiken at age 18.
"I've always enjoyed being a mother. My kids were perfect ... I mean, they might not have been perfect, but they didn't let me know it," she said with a laugh.
Her career path included a variety of roles at the Savannah River Site, including recruiting, human resources and public relations, along with simultaneously earning a Limestone College degree in three and a half years, with a 3.9 grade-point average, graduating with a bachelor's in business administration. She retired in 2009.
"It was a lot of work, but I enjoyed it. I mean, I was out there from 4 in the morning until 11 at night a lot of nights," she recalled. "I enjoyed my work out there very, very much."
"Bernice gives her all to support the Salvation Army," in the words of Rep. Bill Taylor, R-Aiken, who is also a member of the local Salvation Army's advisory board.
He wrote, "Her commitment should serve as inspiration to anyone who is trying to define personal public service. You don't have to be elected to a public office to be a public servant, you just have to be like Bernice and give yourself in service to help others."
Tiller noted, "When I grow up, I want to be like Bernice ... She knows that. I say that all the time. A beautiful personality. Just exemplary, and as a mother, she's supportive and encouraging and she's amazing."
