Published: December 28, 2006 03:27 pm      

Keith Iverson Miller

Keith Iverson Miller died Monday, 25 December 2006 in Orange, Texas.

Keith was born January 9, 1920, in Westby, Montana. He was the fourth son of Peter H. and E. May Miller. Here, Keith was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. During High School he worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps constructing trails and roadways in Glacier National Park. He graduated from Westby High School as class valedictorian in 1938.

After high school, he attended the University of Montana at Bozeman for two years. In 1940, he moved to Denison, Texas to work on the spillway portion of the Denison Dam.

Keith enlisted in the Army in 1942, attended Officer’s Candidate School, and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. His first assignment was to Fort Snelling, Minnesota. There he met, and married, Elizabeth Plaas on 11 April 1943. Subsequent assignments took the couple to New Orleans, Louisiana and Portland, Oregon. In September 1944, he was assigned to the European Theater of Operations. He returned from Europe in 1946 and was released from active duty.

He began working for The American Bridge Company division of United States Steel Corporation as an apprentice draftsman and continued his education at the University of Minnesota. He graduated with a Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering in December 1948 and resumed his career with American Bridge as a materials cost estimator. His career with The American Bridge Company spanned 36 years in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Chicago, Illinois, Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Orange, Texas. He worked as a designer and cost estimator on the Mackinaw Straits Bridge in Michigan, the Mesabi Iron Range Taconite Plant in Hibbing, Minnesota, the Sears Tower in Chicago and the Space Vehicle Assembly Building at Cape Canaveral, Florida. In Cheyenne, Wyoming, he served as civilian construction liaison to the United States Air Force during construction of the Minuteman Missile System.

Keith was actively involved in his community through work with the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Indian Guides and his churches – Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Lombard, Illinois, and Trinity Lutheran Church, Orange, Texas. In 1979 he was named “Lombard Man of the Year” for his service as President of The United Way and work with the YMCA. Keith was president of the Orange Golden K Kiwanis and was selected as a George F. Hixon Fellow of Kiwanis International in 1997. He also served as Board President and Treasurer of Orange Christian Services, and President, Treasurer, and Property Manager of Trinity Lutheran Church. He was a member of the Orange Camp of Gideons International.

Keith was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Doris Nelson of La Crescenta, California, and four brothers, George H. Miller of Columbus, North Dakota, COL Robert C. Miller (Ret) of Denison, Texas, James D. Miller of Denison, Texas, and Donald R. Miller of Mount Pleasant, Texas.

He is survived by his wife, Betty, of Orange, Texas; four children, Marilyn Chapman, of Chicago, Illinois, Peter Miller, of Beaumont, Texas, Lee Miller, of Independence, Missouri, and Don Miller and his wife Sandy, of Milford, Delaware; two Grandchildren, Matt Miller of Savannah, Georgia, and Rachael Crozier and her husband Jeremy, of Grain Valley, Missouri; two sisters in law, Thelma Miller, of Denison, Texas and Frances Plaas of Grand Forks, North Dakota; three great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, Orange, Texas on Saturday, December 30th at 11:00 AM, Reverend Petroula Ruehlen officiating.

The family request that memorials, in lieu of flowers, be given to Trinity Lutheran Church, Orange Christian Services, or a charity of their choice.

The family extends their thanks to the staff of Memorial Herman Baptist Hospital of Orange.