Donald Keith Miller

1939 - 2019

Donald Miller

Donald Keith Miller passed away peacefully on Oct. 10, 2019, at the Cleveland Clinic's Hospice Care Center. At the time, the Browns were 2-3. There is some comfort in knowing he won't have to endure the rest of the season. Don was born to Violet and Joseph Miller at Aultman Hospital in Canton, Ohio on Sept. 3, 1939. For decades, the family lived on Tanner Avenue, and Don was happily raised as a southwest-end kid with his older sister Pat, his younger brother Bill, and countless neighborhood friends. Described as "a cute little guy who really liked dessert," he listened to radio shows, played organized and unorganized sports with classmates, and generally enjoyed whatever he was doing at the moment. Music was prominent in the Miller home, and Agnes Bryant's music room at McGregor Elementary sparked Don's lifelong joy of performing, which only intensified at Lincoln High School with the inimitable Ruth Cogan. After an honorable discharge from the US Army, traveling quite a bit, and earning his sociology degree from Walsh University, Don eventually reconnected with his love of the stage, and his list of community performances grew-particularly those produced by the Canton Civic Opera. Though known locally as a talented tenor and entertainer, his real gift was channeling his creativity to address social issues. From the compassionate re-entry of clients deinstitutionalized from state mental hospitals, to families in need of innovate daycare solutions for Alzheimer's patients, to public transportation and housing for residents with disabilities, Don used his mind to analyze data, his creativity to develop new ways to improve people's lives, his charm to convince politicians and policy makers to support new programs, and his heart to ensure that people lived in dignity regardless of their backgrounds or challenges.

Don spent time with his friends and family members, including his son Don Wheeler and his wife Leslie Long, and their mostly-grown children Keegan, London and Brenna; his oldest daughter Sarah and her husband Craig and their fifth-grader Zak (Go Lions!); and his son-in-law Will and youngest daughter Katie, with whom he voraciously ate Heggy's hot fudge sundaes. In his not-quite retirement, Don continued to perform in community productions, sing in the church choir, take ski trips without skiing, and volunteer at United Way, where he was paid in bacon dip, cookies, and unlimited coffee. Don's commitment to his community continued after his cancer diagnosis and during his treatments – in fact, he still volunteered just 3 weeks before he died.

He asked that we forego traditional funeral services and celebrate his life in the spring, instead. (Actually, he made a witty remark about celebrating his death, but it seems premature to joke about it.) Donations in Don Miller's memory may be sent to United Way of Greater Stark County 401 Market Ave. #300 Canton, OH 44702 All of us will miss this man very, very much.