Sophie,
We always called ourselves “we four”. Although you have achieved so many things in your life your family has always been your first priority. We are so proud of you, not just for your amazing academic / research achievements, but the fact that you were a truly good honest caring modest person who lit up the world. This is why people love you and why you have so many amazing friends. A beautiful girl inside and out, we couldn’t love you more.
Mostly we laughed. There is a photo of us taken when I was a baby, Soph with her arm around me, propping me up, which describes the relationship perfectly. Things never changed and I had Soph’s arm on my shoulder through the best and the worst of times. I’m so proud of her and I miss her more than I thought it was possible to miss anything.
Liz, Tony, Sam
Sophie, the brightest star in the sky. A best friend to share our childhood with and also to share our dodgy shell-suits and flowery hand-me-downs dresses!
We were so proud to tell our friends we had spent the holidays at the seaside with you! Pleasure Island was always a bonus and spending time with you is something that we will treasure for a lifetime! We could always count on you to put us to shame with your effortless beauty, and also exam results, and we all hope our children are lucky enough to have some ‘Miller’ genes! Going to end the rambling now as we spent our childhoods having to listen to long Miller/Scarborough goodbyes while stood in the hall.
Until we meet again,
Your cousins xxxxx
Phil, Paul, Vicky, Lottie
Soph, Thanks for being the best friend ever and for all of the shared memories. I really had the best childhood with you and am lucky to have had such a lovely and inspirational friend. I will always treasure the memories. Your friendship can never be replaced – you will be missed so much. Love you lots, Amb xxx
Amber
We’ve known Sophie since birth and although we haven’t known the adult Sophie as well as some of you, the memories from every childhood summer will never go away; not to mention the endless trips to Pleasure Island!! I’m sure we will all spend many more years smiling and remembering all the wonderful experiences we shared together throughout our childhoods.
Alison, Elly, Harry, Freya
Remembering all the great times we had together growing up, wherever we were in the world. A part of our lives that will forever be missed.
Alexander, Conrad, Sophia
Our gentle, gracious friend Sophie joined our international school in Year 7 and forged friendships that would last throughout school and beyond, spanning life stages and continents.
She was the link between many overlapping friendship groups at school and people gravitated towards her. With a formidable intellect, quiet resilience, fierce loyalty and tenacious curiosity, she taught us so much about how to be better.
We all have fond memories of sleepovers, birthday parties, school trips and Friday nights out. A constant we all shared was a never-ending stream of laughter – the eye-streaming, side-clutching kind, at a joke that no one else would find funny. With her gurgly laugh and elegant floppiness, she spanned the silly to the cerebral.
Beyond excelling academically across all subjects, playing international basketball tournaments, being a ballet dancer, pianist and girl guide, she was so much more to us than this list of accolades and achievements. She was a calming, peaceful and stable influence in all our lives. An empathetic ally. Sophie’s friendship lifted us.
Sophie was so loved and her memory will live on around the world through all of those who were privileged to be her friend.
Isabelle, Emily, Emma, Jaime, Katy
Sophie was a good friend to many of us at Selwyn. Her infectious laughter and fun approach to life made her impossible not to love, even if we were all jealous of her disciplined work ethic and exceptional academic talents.
In her journey through Cambridge, from being a founding member of H block, through O block, Trinity Hall, and living with Liv and Katy, she left a lasting impression on everyone who was lucky enough to spend time with her.
None of us have a shortage of fond memories shared with Soph. Whether it was immaculate fancy dress costumes, cake and Bake Off, laughter-filled formals, a Friday evening game of basketball, a night of gin and questionable dance moves, endless outfit changes, cramming into the kitchen to share crêpes, a late-night walk in the gardens, Pimms and punting, eating endless avocado while watching Black Books, or just a good conversation and a breath of fresh air, Soph will be missed and remembered in countless ways.
Not only did we treasure Sophie’s company, she was an inspiration to many of us. In small ways – like encouraging us to try basketball, or explaining the details of her research, but also in the more significant sense of being a sounding board for big decisions and supporting us to take our next big step in life.
Sophie was extremely gifted and dedicated to her work, yet she somehow still managed to make time to play competitive sports and most of all be a great friend to so many people. Her impact has shaped the lives of all those who came into contact with her, and will remain a permanent feature in all that comes from here on. She will be greatly missed by all of us.
Katy, Harald, Angela, Andy, Liv, Oli, Ross, Rob, James, Matt, Nicola, Emma
Sophie, Maya, Toni and Ira were the four musketeers who always went on adventures together, including all the way to the Arctic. We’ll never forget sneaking out from basketball socials to have ‘wild nights’ of hot chocolate and marshmallows at Sophie’s flat, or our trip to Cornwall where we lay by the ocean modelling for Maya’s photographs. Sophie was a beautiful soul, and we found it so endearing how oblivious she was to all the boys fancying her. Our most recent memories of Sophie are those of her huddled under two coats in the Arctic, where we explored frozen lakes, saw the Northern Lights and chatted into the night over cups of hot chocolate. We remember Sophie as the gentlest and most caring of friends, and will treasure her forever.
Maya, Ira, Toni
Sophie provided support, escape, humour, and love throughout our postgraduate years. All the while her modesty and humility were never able to hide her effortless brilliance. While producing amazing science she always made me laugh- from battling experiments to printing her thesis at 3am, she made every moment more joyous. Sophie was one of my favourite people and my best friend. I will always strive to match the humour, kindness, wit, and joy she exuded.
Connie
Sophie will be greatly missed, but in a million big and small ways she will continue to have an impact on all of the people who have met and worked with her and became her friends. Her life and work will continue to have ripples into the future, far beyond the places she called home.
Nathan
Sophie arrived in Copenhagen in August 2015 to start a post doc in Elke’s lab, having been persuaded to join the field of zebrafish research. She quickly became close with her lab mates, with whom she went horse riding on an old, bumpy horse called Prince, partied like it was the 70’s for the infamous Danish Christmas party (what happens at Julefrokost, stays at Julefrokost), enjoyed plenty of bubble tea and ice cream in the sun and finally attempted to learn the potato-in-mouth Danish language.
Sophie learned to appreciate Danish food and traditions, including “grød” and “boller i karry” and enthusiastically joined the Eurovision craze. Like any Copenhagener, she cycled everywhere, towering above the crowds with ridiculously high handlebars. She shared an apartment with Amanda, her music and baking buddy. Once they scoured the streets of Copenhagen for green glitter eye-liner while enjoying boozy popsicles, all in preparation for an Ellie Goulding concert.
Sophie’s time in Copenhagen can be summed up in one word: HYGGE (‘Hue-gah’). A Danish philosophy of life, encapsulating cosiness, warmth and happiness. Enjoying the good things in life with good people. Sophie was a master of hygge, and we will always remember her for being an incredibly kind and loving friend, always bringing people together with a big smile on her face.
Amanda, Gianna
From the first time I met Sophie on the top floor of H block, to the last time I saw her in Melbourne, we got on so well that I felt like another brother to her. We could happily discuss work, life and hopes for the future over a cup of tea or a beer in the pub. She knew when to offer her excellent advice, and when to forget the world outside and play “the spoon of destiny”, as seen on Green Wing.
I was lucky enough to visit Soph in Copenhagen (with some other Selwynites) soon before she found out that she was ill. She tried to take us for a tour of the town, but the snow was so heavy that we were forced to just hop between drinking establishments, sheltering from the storm. She taught us the art of Hygge (hoo-guh), the Danish concept of cosiness and the enjoyment of time with friends that Soph embodied so well. She accidentally took us to the trendiest bar in town where Lukas Graham was singing (a few months before he took the music world by storm, with “7 years” going to the UK number one). She picked up some Danish while living there, but couldn’t quite translate my favourite phrase “Denne dame betaler for alt”. It means “this lady will pay for everything”.
Sophie shouldn’t have died so young. She was supposed to discover cures for the type of disease that took her life.
Sophie was an incredibly special friend to all of us. She lives on in our memories.
James
Sophie's Research 