Keith Miller

1955 - 2020

KENDALLVILLE - Keith Edward Miller passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020, at his home in Kendallville, Indiana, at the age of 64.

He was an only child, born to Marlene and Jean Edward Miller, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on Dec. 29, 1955. His father preceded him in death.

Keith graduated from Northrop High School in 1974, and went on to study Aviation Maintenance at Vincennes University, earning his degree in 1977.

Keith proudly served in the Marines and was honorably discharged in 1981, afterward serving in the National Guard. He had a passion for aviation and held a single-engine private pilot's license.

During his career, Keith worked for FedEx, Fort Wayne Air Service, and Kitty Hawk Air Cargo as an Aircraft Mechanic, later becoming an instructor for Ivy Tech's Aviation Maintenance Technology program until he retired in 2018.

In 1985, he married the love of his life, Carol (Dahm) Miller, and two feisty daughters soon followed. Keith took great pleasure in being a father, always putting the needs of his family first, and prioritizing spending quality time with his daughters over everything else. The Millers were constantly on the go, traveling for holidays and family vacations, visiting countless museums, hiking, bug hunting, stargazing, biking and camping in the backyard.

If there was a problem, Keith had a solution. Through the years, he fixed countless flat tires, diagnosed car troubles through the phone and generally had great advice for any given situation. To his daughters, he was the strongest person in the world. He was kind, generous and welcoming - and his children are a perfect reflection of him.

On most afternoons, you could find Keith spending time with his neighbor and best friend, Troy Chapman. They would putter around, Keith in his golf cart and Troy on his four-wheeler, cruising the trails they both created on their property. Keith enjoyed watching the History Channel, shooting guns, and was an avid fisherman and hunter. During the most recent hunting season, he bagged an eight-point buck! At family gatherings, you could find him at the front of the line, silverware in his pocket, ready to partake in one of his favorite activities, enjoying a meal with his loved ones. After such a meal, Keith would then retire to one of the coveted recliners and in his words, "go belly up" for a brief nap, rejoining the festivities soon after.

He was a loving son, husband, father, grandfather and friend. He enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his 1-year-old grandson, Logan Koch. Keith and Logan were two peas in a pod and often wore matching outfits, mostly in camo and flannel patterns. They even had coordinating newsboy caps! One of Keith's favorite pastimes was driving Logan around in his golf cart, while Logan giggled gleefully. Keith will be greatly missed by all who knew him, as he was the light of the party and always had a playful one-liner or a mischievous smile on his face.

Keith is survived by his loving wife of 35 years, Carol R. Miller; daughters, Samantha Michael of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Amanda (Robert) Koch, of Fort Wayne, Indiana; grandson, Logan Koch; and his mother, Marlene Miller, of Kendallville, Indiana.

Keith was preceded in death by his father, Jean Edward Miller.

A celebration of Keith's life will be held at a future date.

Arrangements are being handled by Fairhaven Funeral Home, in Fort Wayne.