Lonnie Mae Elder Miller was born on September 20, 1939 to the late Lonnie Elder and Ollie Mae Leak Elder in Charlotte, NC. She made a quiet and peaceful transition on January 22, 2024.

Lonnie graduated from West Charlotte High School Class of 1957. She attended Carver College (Which is now CPCC), completing her degree as an Executive Secretary She taught piano lessons to many and encouraged many choir members to have confidence in their God given talent and lead songs.

Lonne began her musical career at the age of nine, playing for the Instrumental Choir of Gethsemane Baptist Church, alongside Ruth Garrett-Rawlinson. She began her secretarial career working at Torrence-Lytle High School in Huntersville, NC. She also worked as a secretary at Temple Chapel Baptist, First United Presbyterian Church, and Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. Her love for music always opened up an opportunity for her to play while working in the office, if an event or funeral occurred during working hours and there was no musician to play, she'd be right there to support the families and afterwards return to her secretarial duties. At Friendship, she started the Youth Choir and Women's Choir; at Little Rock AME Zion she also started a youth choir. In 1983, when Reeder Memorial Baptist Church opened their doors, she was the first Minister of Music. Lonnie played for the following churches: St. Stephens AME Zion in Gastonia, Steele Creek AME Zion,Walls Memorial AME Zion (annually for special programs), Gethsemane Baptist Church, Friendship Baptist Church, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Shiloh Institutional Baptist Church, St. Paul Baptist Church; and she formed the Greater Charlotte Community Chorale Choir inviting singers to her living room in 1978 and growing to a choir of more than 50. She also attended The Gospel Music Workshop of America; meeting famous singers like Rev. James Cleveland,  Margaret Douroux, Milton Bigham, Donald Vail, The Florida Mass Choir, and many others.

Lonnie not only loved music but she loved cooking from scratch, baking, and staying up late making an outfit that she would wear the next day.

In addition to her parents, Lonnie was preceded in death by her husband, John Miller, siglings, Joe Lewis Ervin and Barbara Ann Gaston.

She leaves to cherish her siblings, Edna Elder Williams, Esther D. Elder, Marian Hagler, and Lycurgus Oates (JoAnne) all of Charlotte, NC; Goddaughter, Sherry Baxter of Charlotte, NC; Godsons, Mr. Joseph H. Hones, Jr (Karen) of Charlotte, NC Michael Morgan of Atlanta, GA, and Jahkeel Quallo (Jasmine) of Bermuda; God Granddaughter, Lakesha Niecey Jones; special friends, Rosalind Houser and Mary Crowell; nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends.