Robert P. "Bob" Miller

1939 - 2018

Miller, Robert Paul "Bob" (Bobby), passed away on October 11, 2018 in Boca Raton, FL at the age of 79 from complications of advanced Alzheimer's disease. He will be remembered as a highly successful State Farm Insurance Agent, an avid baseball, tennis, fishing enthusiast and as a kind, sweet and caring man who was low key, soft spoken and loved by many. He is survived by his wife, Patti Vicari Miller, son, Mark Miller (Jennifer) of Panama City Beach, FL, son, Stephen Miller (Jennah) of Lake Worth, FL, daughter, Susan Miller of Roswell, GA, son, Hunter Olsen of West Palm Beach, FL, sister, Treva Wheatley (Buddy) of Blue Ridge, GA and grandchildren, Ashley, Chandler, Jack, Alexandra, Hannah, Samuel Robert and Peyton Ann. Bob was born on April 12, 1939 in Logan's Port, Indiana to Helen McGregor Miller and Paul Ayers Miller. The family moved to Delray, Florida in 1944 when Bob was 4 years old. He attended West Grade Elementary School in Lake Worth, Delray Junior High School (now known as Old School Square) and Seacrest High School (renamed Atlantic Community High School), where he graduated in 1957. While at Seacrest he participated in the band as a trumpet and coronet player and as the Captain of the Basketball team –the Conference Champions, District Champions and the District & State runner-up that defeated the #1 Cross-Country runner during his senior year and ranked #10 in all of South Florida. He was a member of the Honor Society for academics and of the Spanish National Honor Society. On his senior year trip to Cuba, the Castro/Batista Revolution occurred and the students were sent back home after 1week due to the revolutionary fighting at that time. From 1957-1961, Bob attended Florida State University and graduated with a B.A. degree in English. At FSU he participated in 2 sports – basketball and baseball and he was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity and its' Chaplain and was voted all-around athlete in intramural sports – football, softball, swimming, basketball and volleyball. At FSU he was a member of the University Gold Key Society, the President's Club, the Men's Honor Court, the Men's Judiciary Court and he represented the FSU Presbyterian Students at the National Synod of University Students in Austin, Texas. At FSU he also studied 4 years of Military Science and upon graduation he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Bob served for 2 years in Europe during the Viet Nam War. He continued in the Army Reserve, Unit 32, 20th USAG in West Palm Beach, FL for many years and attained the rank of Major before his discharge. He wrote: "I was proud to serve my country and I donor all who served and all who have paid the ultimate price in injury or death." After his Army service, Bob taught English at Seacrest High School and coached baseball and J.V. football. Coaching became a lifelong commitment for Bob and he cherished the coaches and assistants who contributed to his athletic achievements throughout life. He learned how much time and effort it took to coach his students, his children and the children of others and he fondly remembered Billy, his first coach, a teenager from Lake Worth who coached Bob when he was 8 years old and they played Little League games at Sunset Ridge Park because Delray had no regulation Little League field, Rod Roddick, a policeman from Delray Beach, Bill Becker with his cigar, Jerry Turner, a nursery man, Norman Price, Randy Cooper, George Owen and Jim Reichert at Seacrest High School and the great Danny Litwiler at FSU, from whom he learned so much as a player and from the graduated level baseball coaching class he taught. Also, he treasured the constant talks with Dick and Larry Brown, next-door neighbors who were like family and became major league longtime career ball players. Finally, his association and friendship with Bucky Dent and Larry Hashin and many fellow coaches who became good friends like Bill Ward, Paul Tidwel, Dave Ciriello, Jim Toman, Gary Chanley, Joe Misesendno and Dave Smith enriched his life and made for fondest memories. Bob continued to volunteer and coach Little League baseball and the Atlantic High School baseball team for over 30 years until the early 2000's. The Robert P. Miller Field in Delray Beach, Florida is named after Bob in recognition of his contributions to Little League baseball. In the early 70's, Bob went to Mayor Jack Saunders and the City Commission to lobby for a regulation size, lighted Little League baseball field. At the time Delray Beach was the only city between Vero Beach and Key West that did not have one. After the Mayor and the City Commission appointed Bob Miller as the Chairman of the committee of 5 to research and start the process of building the field. The County was approached to negotiate for the property off SW 4th Avenue. The County then helped pave the way for access to the park. At the time, Ken Ellingsworth helped the Committee apply for a Bicentennial Grant for $250,000, the largest grant ever given in the state of Florida at the time. The field came to be and to Bob Miller's surprise, the Committee named the park after the man who started it all – Bob Miller. Other fields followed at Bob's urging so there were enough fields for all the children of Delray to play. Slowly the city added fields and eventually Bucky Dent's Baseball School moved into the South end of the park with an agreement with the city to help maintain the fields. In 1968, bob joined his dad, Paul Miller, in the State Farm office he opened in 1950 in Delray Beach, FL. Most years Bob was in the top 1% of the company and he remained a State Farm Agent for 41 years until his retirement in 2008. He was a part of the "Flying Turkeys" and the Colorado Study Groups within State Farm and was thankful for all the years of sharing, helping and encouraging each other and the camaraderie and fun they enjoyed. He was active in the Delray Chamber of Commerce where he was Chairman of the Board and was named Small Business Person of the year. He was also an active member of the Kiwanis Club. Bob most enjoyed fishing and traveling with his wife and many friends. His life was rich and full and his long illness in later years is now at an end. May he rest in peace. A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, October 28, 2018 at 11:30a.m. at the Boca Country Club, 17751 Boca Club Blvd., Boca Raton, FL 33487 (561)447-3600. In lieu of flowers a charitable donation may be made in Bob's honor to the Alzheimer's Association, National Headquarters, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl.17, Chicago, IL 60601 (act.alz.org)