Kenneth Eugene Miller
30 May 1933-7 September 2024
Kenneth Miller
It is sad when a beloved family member passes away. In this case his passing is the end of a generation.
My Uncle Kenny Miller, my dad’s brother, was the last surviving child of Carl and Gertrude (Brewster) Miller. Uncle Kenny passed away last Saturday evening. He was the seventh of eight Miller children.
Carl Miller Family, 1952: (standing) Kate, Ruth, Herb, Kenny, Vernie, Helen; (seated) Ann, Gertrude, Carl, Em.
Timing is everything and we are thankful that we visited Uncle Kenny in the hospital two days before he passed away. He fell in late July, a couple days before the Miller reunion, which he and his family had planned to attend. He was recovering from that concussion when he fell a second time a few weeks later and remained in the hospital.
We had a nice visit with Kenny that Thursday and he enjoyed talking about family and retelling the old family stories. As it turned out, he retold those stories one last time.
Every one of my Miller aunts and uncles loved telling those old family stories.
Some of you may remember my Uncle Kenny. He graduated from Willshire High School in 1951, joined in the U.S. Army, and went to Tri-State College, Angola, Indiana, on the GI Bill. He graduated with a degree in chemical engineering and had a life-long career in northern Indiana.
He married Delores “Dee” Martin in 1959 and they had 4 children. After retirement Kenny and Dee enjoyed spending winters in Arizona.
Although Uncle Kenny lived several hours away, he enjoyed getting together with family, most of whom still lived in this area. He came back for his siblings’ birthday dinners and for the Miller reunion. He and Dee would also visit Dee’s sister in Van Wert several times a year, and Joe and I usually met them for lunch and to visit.
Kate, Ruth, Em, Vernie, Kenny, Herb in front, 2005
In the early 2000s, Kenny helped his siblings with their computer skills and got them (my dad Herb, Vernie, Kate, Ruth, and Em) to participate in a live computer chat once a week. They kept in touch this way every Friday morning for many years.
Uncle Kenny and I texted or called each other fairly often. We shared some of the books we read, had political discussions, and enjoyed sharing family photos and stories. He had a good memory and took the time to write down and share with me his memories of growing up on the Miller farm and his memories of his siblings. He gave me the old library table the Miller children used for their homework.
Karen sitting on Kenny’s lap, c1954
Coming from a family of eight, Uncle Kenny had a lot of family stories to tell.
Kenny was the one who sprang a mousetrap on his brother Vernie’s ear.
When he was very young, Kenny called Zion Chatt’s church balcony a haymow.
He drove a team of horses in the field and was a water boy for the threshers.
Kenny was a member of the Willshire Blue Blazers 4-H Club and his cow was 4-H Holstein Grand Champion and 3rd overall cow winner at the Van Wert County Fair one year.
Kenny & his Holstein, c1948
Before his family had a television, he went to Midlam’s Grocery in Chatt or to John Fritzinger’s house to watch TV.
Kenny and Vernie experimented with photo-shopping old photos:
Herb and Aunt Kate photo-shopped onto Herb’s old Model A
The passing of the last member from such a wonderful family is sad indeed.
Not only will we miss Kenny, but now that his generation is gone, our generation has become the oldest generation in the family. Our mortality is one step closer.
I am proud to have known each and every member of this special family and proud to say that I am a member of the Miller family.
12 comments
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Sending sympathy on the loss of your beloved uncle, who sounds like a wonderful man with a great sense of humor and a zest for life.
Author
Thank you, Marian.
Sorry to learn of this, Karen. I remember him attending the Willshire Alumni banquet several years ago when you were the special speaker and you were ribbing him about the Miller family stories you would be telling. You have wonderful memories about your Dad’s siblings and the Miller family.
Author
Thank you, Sondra. I think that was the last Alumni banquet Kenny attended. Yes, wonderful memories.
We’re sorry to hear about your family’s loss.
Author
Thank you, Deb.
My sympathy to you, Karen, on the passing of Kenny. I remember him both at Willshire and at Zion Lutheran in Chatt.
I had to smile about the “haymow” remark!
I remember your parents well and Anna and Kate also. You had and still have a wonderful family!
Author
Thank you, Marcile. It is a great family.
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Thank you for sharing your memories of your Uncle Kenny. I see his name pop up in DNA matches and it is nice to hear about his life.
With sympathy,
Missy
Author
Thank you. I am glad to add some information and memories to his name.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Karen. It’s hard to lose our favorite people. Your memories are a treasure!
Author
Thank you so much.