Frances Miles

Frances Ann Cooper Miles, wife of Dr. Charles Miles, mother of Stephen and Cooper Miles, died August 20, 2011 at her residence in West Point, MS. She was born November 5, 1947 in Jackson, the youngest of five children, to Owen and Elizabeth Thompson Cooper. She grew up in Yazoo City, where she graduated from high school. She received her BA from Mississippi State University. A musician's musician, Fran was a gifted pianist, vocalist, and composer of hymns. She regularly played special music and sang her own worship hymns in her local church. She also provided special music for the Southern Baptist Convention when her father served as its president. She recorded many of her compositions, supplying both the vocals and the accompaniment. Fran was an active leader and participant in many local ministries and prayer groups. Her accomplishments of greatest pride were being the loving wife to her husband and raising her two sons, Stephen and Cooper. Fran loved good food, pretty clothes, arranging flowers, decorating her home, cooking favorite family recipes, singing at her piano, and spending time with her family. But above all, Fran loved God. Her musical compositions described a deep relationship to God that was reflected in a life of service to others. Those who knew and loved Fran take comfort in the sure knowledge that she passed from this world without fear into God's presence. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Charles D. Miles and sons, Stephen Davis Miles and his wife, Sonya Mitchell of Tupelo, Charles Cooper Miles and his wife Sherrie DeWolf of Jackson; sisters Nancy Cooper Gilbert of Jackson, Carolyn Cooper of Chapel Hill, NC, and Elizabeth Cooper Mazat of Aberdeen; brother, Owen Cooper of Washington, DC. Contributions may be in Fran's memory to the John Shiver Ministries, PO Box 7696, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544. The Family will receive visitors on Monday, August 22, 2011 from 1-2 PM at the First Presbyterian Church with the service to celebrate her life to follow at 2 PM