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Metropolis, Illinois Mar. 27, 1924 | Jan. 29, 2017
Metropolis, Illinois | Mar. 27, 1924 | Jan. 29, 2017

John Louis Miller, 92, formerly of Metropolis, died Sunday, January 29 at Mari De Villa assisted living facility in Chesterfield, MO. He passed away peacefully in the presence of family members. John was preceded in death by his parents and his wife Mary “Bobbie” Miller who passed away March 3, 2007.

John was born March 27, 1924 in Pana, Illinois to Dr. Louis and Blanche Miller where he grew up. After graduating from High School, he attended Illinois Wesleyan. WW2 interrupted his studies and he served in the U.S. Navy from his enlistment on Nov. 18, 1942 until his honorable discharge on June 21, 1946.
He served as an officer of the bridge with a rank of Lt. (jg) on the USS Bolivar and then the USS Sanborn. After his discharge, John went on to study mortuary science and passed his embalming board exam and later his funeral director boards. He married Bobbie on Feb. 26, 1951 and they had two sons, Michael Louis and John Robert Miller. He also attended to the care and education of Bobbie’s daughter, Carol Downs.

John and Bobbie moved to Metropolis from Evanston Illinois in April of 1956 and purchased the Baynes Funeral Home which became the Miller Funeral Home. While living in Metropolis, John was very active in community service. He was honored to be a Superman of Metropolis. He was a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church and assisted with Boy Scout Troop 19. He was a member of the Metropolis Kiwanis Club for over 50 years where he and Bobbie often helped with the encampment and bicycle events, an American Legion member for 60 years, a member of the Metropolis Elks Lodge #1428 for 33 years, and a member of the Ancient Free & Accepted Mason of Illinois Metropolis Lodge #91 for 52 years. He was a member of the Knights Templar Lodge #86 in Murphysboro and a 50 year member of Murphysboro Chapter #164 of the Royal Arch Masons. He was an avid outdoorsman and loved to quail hunt and fish on local farms and lakes. After his retirement from providing funeral services in 1983, he and Bobbie enjoyed time with family and travel even including sea travel by freighter ship.

Survivors include Carol Downs Brooks of Palm Harbour, FL; two sons, Michael Louis Miller and wife Jo Ellen of St. Louis, MO and John Robert Miller and wife Amy of Houston, TX; six grandchildren, Amy King and husband Glenn of Dunedin, FL, Kimberly Kitchens-Hayes and husband Chuck of Richmond Hill, GA, Michael Brooks and Paige Spivey of Athens GA, Grant Miller and wife Pamela of St. Louis, MO, and Claire and Eleanor Miller of Houston, TX; seven great grandchildren, Abbey and Erin King of Dunedin, FL, Wyatt and Mary Kyle Kitchens-Hayes of Richmond Hill, GA, Ethan and Lauren Miller of St. Louis, MO, Peter Brooks of Athens, GA; one sister, Mary Sage of Mesa, AZ.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 11:00 am at the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Metropolis with Reverend Dan Whitfield officiating. Entombment will follow at the Metropolis Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2017, from 9:30am until 11:00am at Trinity Presbyterian Church. Online condolences may be left at www.akinsfarmer-millerfh.com . In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Trinity Presbyterian Church, 605 Metropolis St., Metropolis, Illinois 62960 or the Metropolis Kiwanis Club, Academic Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 654, Metropolis, Illinois 62960-0654. 

 


Miller Funeral Home
414 Metropolis Street
Metropolis, IL 62960
Email : millerfh1912@gmail.com Phone : (618) 524-2128