| Graduation Year | Class of 1949 |
| Date of Passing | Jun 08, 2017 |
| About | SAN DIEGO, CA: John William Miller died June 8, 2017 in San Diego, California. He was 86. "Bill" was born at home on May 4, 1931 in South Zanesville, Ohio, the son of the late Alva P. and Mabel Hambel Miller. He graduated from Lash High School in 1949 and enrolled at Ohio University in Athens. While at Ohio U, he pledged Delta Tau Delta Fraternity. He met his future wife, Eileen Peugh, on a blind date arranged by a mutual college friend while they were both students at Ohio U. They tied the knot in 1952 and celebrated 64 years of marriage until her passing in October of 2016. Bill graduated in 1954 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and accepted a position at B.F. Goodrich Company in Akron, Ohio. He and Eileen moved to Southern California in 1956, eventually settling in Whittier. They lived in Whittier while raising their 3 children. Bill and Eileen loved to travel, and while the kids were young, many summer vacations were spent in the station wagon driving across country to visit the country's national parks and family members back at home in Ohio. He and Eileen would eventually travel to over 50 countries worldwide. In 1984, Bill and Eileen relocated to San Carlos, California and Bill worked as a manufacturer's representative covering the Bay Area territory. After 10 years, he was transferred to Seattle, Washington and continued working until his retirement at age 65. In 2003, Bill and Eileen moved to San Diego to be closer to family. Bill had a 40-year career, but always had time for his other interests. He was a talented do-it-yourselfer and enjoyed remodeling his homes, refinishing furniture, repairing clocks and scouting for antiques. He was especially fond of collecting pottery made near his hometown of Zanesville. He enjoyed a silly sense of humor and was a big fan of Monty Python's Flying Circus. But, above all, his family came first and he worked hard to provide them with a better life than he experienced while growing up in the Depression. In addition to his wife and parents, Bill was predeceased by brothers Harry and Jim, and sisters, Margaret Grimes, Edna Beech and Lois Miller. Survivors include his son John (Mary) of Paradise, California and son Kevin and daughter Claudia Kay (David) of San Diego, California, grandsons Mike Miller (Erica) of Sacramento and Stephen Kay of San Diego, and granddaughter Heather Di Cato (Henry) of Plain City, Ohio, and great-granddaughter, Elizabeth Miller of Sacramento. Inturnment will be at First United Methodist Church of San Diego. |
