Monica Miller 1979 – 2019 Well known former Fayette resident Monica Renee Miller died near Hays, Kansas on Saturday, September 14 as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. She was forty years of age. The daughter of Carrol “Gene” and Lorna T. Miller, Monica was born in Columbia on March 16, 1979. Growing up in Fayette, she was a member of the Fayette First Christian Church. She was active in church, school, and community activities and graduated with the Fayette High School Class of 1997. She continued her education at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, MO where she was an active member of the Sigma Kappa sorority. She earned the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts from Culver in 2001. Monica went on to receive the degree of Master of Public Affairs from the University of Missouri, Columbia in 2008. Monica’s love of drama, theater, and music led to an internship at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., a summer job with the Creed Repertory Theatre in Creede, CO, and a position as the administrative assistant to the Director of Bands with Marching Mizzou at the University of Missouri. For the past decade, Monica had a distinguished career as a Program Analyst for the United States Geological Survey at the Columbia Environmental Research Center in Columbia, MO, where she was employed at the time of her death. Monica was an independent and adventuresome spirit. She loved the out-of-doors, backpacking and camping trips took her all over the country. She also enjoyed working with her sorority as a graduate leader at Canton. Among her greatest joys was time spent with the many friends she made from school, at work, and through her travels. Most of all, she loved her family. Her great good nature and loving guidance will be sorely missed by her parents and family, all her friends, and, of course, her faithful dog Winnie. Monica is survived by her parents of Columbia, her aunt and uncle Margaret and John Ensor of Jeffersonville, IN, cousins Mark (Deanna) Ensor, Marsha Johnson and her daughter Malika, Michele (Brian) Pope, her great aunt Arlene Miller of Lindale, AZ, and a host of friends. Funeral services for Monica Miller will be held at 2:00 PM at the Fayette First Christian Church on Saturday, September 28, with Rev. Stephen Johnson officiating. Visitation will be immediately preceding the service from noon until 2:00 PM at the church. Burial will follow the services at Walnut Ridge Cemetery in Fayette. A celebration of life gathering will be held at Cambridge Place Clubhouse on Scarborough Drive in Columbia, MO at 6:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to PAWS animal shelter, Culver-Stockton College, or Fayette First Christian Church care of Friemonth-Freese Funeral Service; 174 Hwy 5 & 240; Fayette, MO 65248.