Rev. Robert L. MILLER

MILLER, MANDSAGER, MAGALLANES, TOBAK, HENDERSON, DORE, DELGADO, ENFIELD, SMITH

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:46

June 24, 1933 ---- January 28, 2017

Rev. Robert L. Miller, 83, passed away in his mountain home in Livermore, CO on January 28, 2017. He was born June 24, 1933 in his parents farm home near Eagle Grove, Iowa to Lindsey and Agnes Miller and placed in a wooden chest drawer for his bassinet. Pastor H. Fauske baptized Robert with a kitchen bowl of well water. He attended Sunday School and was confirmed by Pastor Hardis Bakken on March 14, 1948 at Samuel Lutheran Church. He and two of his confirmation classmates became Lutheran ministers.

Bob and his sisters, Maxine, Helen and Delores raised steers for their 4-H projects and saved for their college education. He attended country school through eighth grade and was often smarter than the 18 year old teachers. The only sport Bob participated in was 4-H softball as he had to ride the bus home from Eagle Grove High School and do the farm chores. He attended community college where he met his future wife, Doris Mandsager, as their lockers were next to each other alphabetically. He was president of the debate team and went to Des Moines for their state debate contests. He worked a year at the soybean plant before attending St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN.

On August 7, 1955 he and Doris were married at Trinity Lutheran Church, Hardy, Iowa and Bob completed his senior year graduating in 1956. He enrolled at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN and interned at Hill Avenue Lutheran Church, Pasadena, CA with Rev. V. Quello and Rev. A. Tanner. Bob received his Bachelor of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary on May 29, 1960 and was ordained in his Iowa home church June 19, 1960. He served as an assistant pastor at Westwood Lutheran Church, St. Louis Park, MN for two years and was called to be senior pastor at Hope Lutheran Church, Riverside, CA for 12 years. He was also the University of Riverside campus pastor, board chair of the Youth Service Center, the Suicide Prevention Board, Bethel Bible teacher, youth and retreat leader,and tour leader of the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther in Germany. In 1974 -1977 he was an associate pastor with Rev. A. Torvik in Santa Barbara and served on the UCSB campus board and led several backpacking trips for youth in the Sierras. From 1977-1987 he was senior pastor at First Lutheran Church, Fullerton, beginning one of the first Hispanic ministries, served as Dean of the Inland Empire Pastor's Conference, Chair of the ELCA Transitional Team, Pacific Lutheran Seminary Board, and Fullerton Lion Club President.

In 1987 he was elected Bishop of the Pacifica Synod of the newly formed Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, caring for ministries of five southern CA counties and the state of Hawaii. The installation service was held in the Mission San Juan Capistrano Catholic Church with an overflow crowd of 1,200 with the theme, "Renewed in Strength." He was on the National Board of Lutheran Social Services, representative to the National Board of ELCA Women and played a vital role in the formation of the San Bernardino Central City Mission for the homeless, the abused, and the addicted.

In 1998 Bob retired a year early from his term feeling tired with the onset of Parkinson's.
Moving to CO he worked at Immanuel Lutheran in Greeley as interim pastor and at Our Saviour's Lutheran in Fort Collins as visitation pastor. In Red Feather Lakes Bob was president of the library board during the campaign for funds and the building of the addition. He joined the Mountain Lions Club and was president one year. He and his wife traveled to Kenya and Uganda with a Lutheran study group, toured Norway, Germany, Austria and Switzerland and most of the United States. Since 2011 he was wheelchair bound but always the patient, kind person he had been all his life.

Bob is survived by his wife of 61 years, Doris, their son, Tedd, daughter, Diane (Joseph Andrew Magallanes) and their children, Andrew and Michaela Magallanes and son Darrell and his sons, DJ, Frank, and Michael, 14 foster children including Elizabeth Tobak, Suzy Henderson, Jimmie Dore, and Tony Delgado, two sisters Maxine Enfield and Delores (John Smith), and nephews and nieces. A sister, Helen who also had Parkinson's, and brother-in-law, Frank Enfield, preceded him in death.

The memorial service will be February 10 at 1:00 PM at Our Saviour's Lutheran in Fort Collins, CO. Memorial gifts may be given to ELCA World Hunger or the Robert L. Miller Scholarship Fund for Leaders to help seminary students.

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