Shirley Sue Scarlett Miller

Shirley Sue Scarlett Miller, 95, died March 31, 2026, at Kansas City Hospice after a brief illness. She was born on May 27, 1930, in Horton, Kan., to Earl Scarlett and Harriet Genevieve Price. After graduating from Argentine High School in Kansas City, Kan., Sue went to work for Dr. Maurice Walker in the Argentine area of Kansas City, Kan., as his medical assistant. She worked at this medical practice for 40 years, until both Sue and the doctor retired in the early ‘90s. Sue married Ken Miller on June 3, 1951. They first lived in Kansas City, Kan., then Overland Park, Kan., and moved to Lenexa, Kan., in 1995. One of Sue’s oldest friends, Joyce Kuttler, said, “There is nobody more caring than Sue and Kenny Miller.” A longtime member of Metropolitan Avenue United Methodist Church in Kansas City, Kan., Sue later joined St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Lenexa. As a long-time member of P.E.O. Chapter CY, she was honored in 2024 as a P.E.O. Golden Girl for 50 years of membership. Sue was unable to attend the brunch where the Golden Girls were recognized, so instead Chapter CY members celebrated with her from her yard. Sue was the first Argentine, Kan., president of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. She led a chapter that stayed active for 70 years. When the group first started as young women, no one had enough chairs for the meetings, so they brought chairs from home so they would all have a place to sit. They enjoyed traveling together when they were young and many parties throughout the years. Sue and Ken provided daycare for their granddaughter, Quincy, until she started Kindergarten. Sue enjoyed sewing and made many clothes over the years. As a “garage sale queen,” she and her friend Joyce Kuttler would head out in the morning, stop at McDonald’s for breakfast, plan their route, and not be back until evening as they shopped till they dropped. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ken, in 2015; brothers, George and William “Bill” Scarlett; and sister, Mary Lynne Scarlett. She is survived by her daughter, Meredith Christian (who died five months after Sue in August 2026); son-in-law, Gary Christian; granddaughter, Quincy Christian; and sister, Sandra Grimes. A joint celebration of life will be held for Sue and her daughter Meredith Christian at 2 p.m. on Sept. 19 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 7740 Lackman Rd., Lenexa, Kan. A private burial will take place on a later date. Memorial donations may be made to: St Paul’s United Methodist Church.

Shirley Sue Scarlett Miller

May 27, 1930 - March 31, 2026