John B. Miller (1917-2012)

MILLER, THOMPSON, BURKE, YANNESSA, MCCLINTON, MESSICK, MYERS

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 8/18/2012 at 23:27:35

The Jacksonville Daily News obituary, Jacksonville, North Carolina.

"Serve and Grow" That was his slogan as President of Toastmasters International, and what he exemplified for his 95 years.

John B. Miller was born on April 3, 1917, in Ames, Iowa, to Charles and Josephine (Thompson) Miller, the eldest of six children. He joined his beloved wife, Billie, in death Saturday, April 7, 2012, in Jacksonville.

After graduating from Ames High School and Iowa State College, he entered law school at the University of Iowa but was interrupted by World War II. He served in the U.S. Navy as a Submarine Officer seeing action in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters and was awarded the Bronze Star. During the war, he met and married Wilhelmina "Billie" Burke. They were married for 65 years until her death in 2009. In 1946, he returned to law school and eventually private practice in Ames and Nevada, Iowa.

John developed a sense of duty and commitment to the community early on. In addition to Toastmasters, he was president of the following local organizations: Nevada Rotary Club, Nevada Lions Club, Nevada Chamber of Commerce, Story County Bar Association, Story County Chapter of University of Iowa Alumni, Story County T.B. and Health Association.

He was the Nevada Rotary Club's Man of the Year in l996. He served as a deacon, elder, and trustee of the Central Presbyterian Church. John was the attorney for the Nevada School District from l957 to l994. He was a member of the Scottish Rite Consistory, the Story County Farm Bureau, the Nevada VFW Lodge #99, the American Legion, and the Za-Ga-Zig Shrine Temple. He was chairman of the Boy Scouts of America Troop Committee. He belonged to Indian Creek Country Club for over 50 years and practiced law for 55 years. He was a member of the Awards Jury of Freedom's Foundation in Valley Forge, PA. He was a 20 year member of the USNR retiring with the rank of Captain. And finally, he appeared on the TV show "To Tell the Truth" as the real John Miller, International President of Toastmasters.

He enjoyed traveling and did so extensively later in life visiting more than 80 countries on six continents. He loved seeing in person the notable places he had read about - the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids, the Great Barrier Reef, Windsor Castle, and the Kremlin. Besides traveling, his other passions were reading and golf.

Pre-deceasing John were his parents, one infant sister, and his wife Billie. He is survived by a son, Rick (Dotti) of Sewickley, Pa.; a daughter, Anne (Joe) of Jacksonville; and two grandsons, Joseph and John Yannessa; one brother, Charles Miller of St. Louis, Mo.; three sisters, Celia McClinton of Harrisonburg, Va., Virginia Messick of Bartlesville, Okla., and Elizabeth Myers, Los Gatos, Calif.

A private family service is planned for June. Donations may be made to the Nevada Public Library, 631 K Avenue, Nevada, Iowa 50201 in John's name.