Allan Lewis Miller

1932 - 2020

Allan Lewis Miller 03/7/1932 - 04/26/2020 Allan Lewis Miller, devoted husband, father, grandfather, raconteur, and mentor to countless family and friends, died peacefully Sunday, April 26, 2020. Allan was born in Boston, Massachusetts, March 7, 1932, the only son of Bess and George Miller. He was a gifted and diligent student, attending The Boston Latin School for two years before transferring to Roxbury Memorial High School, where he graduated in 1949. Allan matriculated to Dartmouth College, joining the Class of 1953, graduating as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Dartmouth was an enduring love of Allan's, and he would regale his family and friends with stories of his fraternity, Delta Upsilon, and Winter Carnival. He repaid Dartmouth many times over throughout the years, interviewing prospective students and leading class gift fundraising efforts and reunion planning. Following his Dartmouth graduation, Allan attended the Harvard Law School as a member of the Class of 1956. With his graduation coinciding with the Korean War era, Allan was commissioned into the U.S. Navy with an eye toward a sea-duty billet. The Navy, however, had other ideas for Allan as a newly minted lawyer, and he was tasked to the Judge Advocate General Corps stationed in Newport, Rhode Island. His years in the Navy were a highlight that generated lifelong friendships. Following his military service, Allan's career took another unlikely turn as he joined Jones & Laughlin Steel Group as a Labor Relations Analyst and later as Labor Attorney in the Legal Department, working in both Aliquippa and Pittsburgh, PA. His experiences in negotiating with steel workers were formative, and laid the foundation for his reputation as a tough, but fair, negotiator. In 1968, Allan took a position with Borden, Inc., as the Director of Labor Relations, in New York City, and then helped lead the company's move from New York to Columbus, Ohio. Allan spent 28 years with Borden, contributing first as a labor negotiator before leading the Human Resources department and then finally serving as Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel. His last role at Borden was the most demanding: guiding the company through its acquisition by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in 1994. Allan was a member of the Bar Associations of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and was admitted and qualified as an attorney of the Supreme Court of the United States. A Bostonian through and through, Allan maintained his hard "R"s, as well as his love of the Red Sox and Ted Williams, throughout his life. Upon his return to a game at Fenway Park after a 35-year hiatus, Allan announced with a broad grin, "It's exactly the same." Over time, though, Allan adopted the Steelers as "his" team while living in Pittsburgh, and 25 years in Columbus turned the native Bostonian from a casual observer of The Ohio State Buckeyes' football team to a rabid fan. Honesty, doing the "right" thing, and giving back were the central tenants of Allan's life. He served on the board of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and was a committed and generous alumnus of Dartmouth College. In the 25 years that Allan lived with his wife, Ginger, on Hilton Head, he served on the boards of Deep Well Project, the Savannah Symphony Orchestra, and the Sea Pines Country Club. Allan kept his little gray cells moving by reading the Wall Street Journal cover-to-cover each day, plowing through mystery novels, and by participating in an investment club and a book club. He was most active in thought while "running" for one hour five times a week, often returning with a list of questions and/or solutions to problems. An avid traveler with Ginger, Allan was always keen to see new places and learn about different cultures, maximizing every opportunity to see parts of the world through the eyes of family living overseas, and joining friends in new adventures in the US and abroad. Allan will be deeply missed by his family, including his wife of almost 52 years, Ginger; daughter Laura Thompson, her husband, Charles, and their sons Charles, Alexander, and Malcolm of Charlotte, North Carolina; daughter Katherine Denmead, her husband, Tyler, and their daughter, Virginia, and son, Elliott, of Cambridge, England. A celebration of life is planned for the Autumn of 2020. Donations in Allan's memory can be made to Hospice Care of the Low Country, Deep Well Project, or Dartmouth College.