When students at Julia P. Bryant Elementary first raced across the school’s recently renovated playground this year, they found something new waiting for them. Nestled in a sunny spot is a bright Buddy Bench, placed in memory of longtime teacher Deb Miller. For the children, it’s a place to sit when they need a moment of comfort or connection during recess. For those who knew Deb, it’s a reminder and a memorial — a lasting tribute to a woman who devoted her career, and her life, to making sure no child ever felt alone.

A life well lived

Born in Athens, Georgia, and later raised in Macon, Deb was working a summer job at Yellowstone National Park in 1980 when she met the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Miller, working at the Old Faithful Inn. The couple married two years later and settled in Washington state, where they welcomed two daughters, Kate and Jenny.

In 1987, the Millers moved to Statesboro, where they quickly felt at home. Here, they would raise their daughters and establish an extended community of lifelong friends. It was also here that Deb embarked on a 27-year teaching career.

She began as a preschool teacher at First Baptist Church before returning to Georgia Southern University to finish her degree when Jenny and Kate were still in elementary school. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in education, she went on to teach in Effingham County before later transferring to Bulloch County, where she spent the rest of her career teaching third grade at Julia P. Bryant. 

“What really set Mom apart was how deeply she cared for people, including her family, her friends, random strangers she met, and of course her students,” said her youngest daughter, Jenny. “Mama was truly born to be a teacher. … Once you were in her class, you were ‘her kid’ for life, and she cared so deeply about her students. She kept up with former students and their milestones, and it wasn’t unusual for them to reach out to her as well. That connection was one of her greatest gifts.”

Deb was known as a teacher who gave every ounce of herself — the kind who remembered birthdays, noticed when a child was struggling, and celebrated every victory, large and small. In 2003, she was named Teacher of the Year, a system-wide recognition of the way she poured herself into her students, just as she poured herself into her own two daughters. 

“We know people always say this, but we truly had the best mom ever,” Jenny said. “Our favorite memories of her are the simple, everyday moments we shared when running errands, singing songs and just being silly together. As we became adults and mothers ourselves, we understood her even more, and she was more like our friend, talking every day — usually multiple times a day.

“She constantly checked in on those she loved and always showed up when someone needed her.”

Kate and Jenny both married — Kate to husband Chad Tucker, Jenny to husband Erin Purvis — and eventually made their homes in the Atlanta area to begin families of their own. Deb’s ultimate joy was being “Dede” to her three grandchildren — Mae, 11, Jack, 8, and Maggie, 6 — and in 2015, she retired and moved with Bob to be closer to them all.

A life remembered

Deb passed away in June 2024 after a short but valiant battle with cancer. Her death left not only her family grieving but also generations of former students and colleagues who had been shaped by her kindness.

In the months that followed, her friends and family began looking for tangible ways in which to honor her memory. At the time, Julia P. was preparing to renovate its playground and install a Buddy Bench, a place where children could sit if they felt left out, upset or simply needed a quiet spot to talk with a teacher.

For Deb’s family, it felt like the perfect tribute.

“Mom … was always looking out for her students and wanted to be and create a safe space for them,” Jenny said. “She was a truly empathetic person who always noticed if someone needed a friend or a little extra kindness … (and) had a special gift for making everyone feel welcome.”

Friends and former colleagues quickly rallied around the idea. Their generosity covered the cost of the bench, while the school system funded its installation. It was dedicated Friday, Aug. 22, in a ceremony on the playground where Deb once taught. 

“What we hope people remember most about Mom is the way she lived her life — with so much purpose and love for her family and for others,” Jenny said. 

Extra funds raised for the bench are being used to purchase books for the school library in Deb’s honor — another fitting tribute for a woman who spent her life fostering a love of literacy.

“Mom loved to read and believed so strongly in the importance of reading to young children,” Jenny said. “Of all the things she taught, she was the most passionate about and excelled at teaching young children to read and to learn to love to read. She even taught her granddaughter Mae to read, which is such a treasured memory. Knowing that books are being added to the school library in her honor would make her smile, because it continues something she cared so deeply about.

“Our hope is that every child who sits on the Buddy Bench or opens a book in her honor will feel even a little of the love and kindness she shared.”

A life’s legacy

Deb’s legacy lives on not only through her students but also her family. 

“The biggest lesson we take from Mom is to put people first,” Jenny said. “She showed us that relationships matter most, whether it’s with family, friends or students. Showing up for the people you love matters, and you have to put the time and energy into being a friend to have friends.

“What we want to pass on to our kids is that same mix of kindness and strength,” she added. “Mom believed you could be both firm and loving, smart and funny, serious and joyful. That balance made her special, and it’s what we hope our kids learn to carry forward.”

For them, the Buddy Bench is a reminder of how deeply Deb was loved and how far her influence extends.  

“We’re so grateful she’s being remembered this way,” Jenny said. “We hope her legacy at Julia P. Bryant inspires teachers to balance warmth with high expectations and reminds students that they are cared for and capable of big things. The way she loved her family, and her students was the same — wholehearted and with no limits.”

As the seasons change and students come and go, the bench will remain, a fixture of compassion on the Julia P. playground. And as long as it stands, so too will the memory of Deb Miller — teacher, mother, role model, friend.