Ina Mae Miller was born November 19, 1922, in San Francisco, to Stanley and Ruth Miller. She was the youngest of three children. Her first 15 years were spent in Alameda, California before the family moved to the Los Angeles area in 1937. While there, she attended Manual Arts High School, graduating in 1940. After High School, she attended Frank Wiggins Trade School (later called L. A. Trade Tech) where she studied industrial design until the U.S. entered World War II.
Ina Mae went to work for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers as a civil engineering draftsman until she enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps. From 1943 to 1945, Ina Mae served in the U. S. Marine Corps, at Quantico, Virginia, doing art work for training films. She was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant.
Ina Mae met SSgt. Lawrence Wayne Overman while they were both stationed at the Marine Corp base at Camp Pendleton, California. They were married in 1946. Their daughter, Mary Ellen was born August 18, 1950. Lawrence died December 11, 1950 during the Korean War.
In 1946, she was employed by the City of Los Angeles as a civil engineering draftsman. Through the years she was promoted to senior draftsman, then civil engineering designer, and finally to public works construction inspector, the first woman to hold this position. Ina Mae retired in 1977 after 31 years with the City.
In the 50s, Ina Mae was involved in the custom car scene, designing and showing her Lincoln and Thunderbird. Her Lincoln appeared in several custom car magazines and continues to be of interest to many fans on the internet. The wonderful color photographs she took of that period are now being made available to new generations to enjoy.
In 1957, Ina Mae, along with eight other women drivers and nine women navigators, was asked to participate in the Mobilgas Economy Run from Los Angeles to Sun Valley, Idaho. She and her male teammate in identically prepared Ford Fairlane 500s tied for first place in their class. The rules required the women to finish ahead of their male counterpart in order to get credit for their finishing place. Therefore, the First Place Trophy went to the man while she received an honorable mention plaque.
Ina Mae moved to Arroyo Grande from the Los Angeles area in 1980. While living here she served on the San Luis Obispo County Civil Service Commission from 1982 to 1986. She was also a member of the San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury from 1993 to 1994. She has been an active member of the San Luis Obispo Art Center (now San Luis Obispo Museum of Art) since first coming to the Central Coast area.
Her early years on the Central Coast were spent attending the three area colleges taking classes in design, watercolor, silversmithing, foundry, ceramics, and hot glass. She started doing fused glass in the early days before glass was made specifically for that purpose.
