Robert I. Miller, 90, of Penn Hills, passed away peacefully Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, at home. He was born July 2, 1929, in Boyertown, Pa., to William Foll Miller and Florence Richard Miller. He graduated from Boyertown High School in 1947 and was Class Salutatorian. He completed a BS in chemical engineering in 1952 at The Pennsylvania State University, where he belonged to several honors societies (Tau Beta Pi, Phi Eta Sigma, Skull and Bones) and Alpha Chi Sigma fraternity. In 1965, he graduated with a master's in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. Robert was in the Navy from 1952-1955 and served as a lieutenant on the USS Wrangell (AE-12), Ammunition Ship, as a navigator, legal officer, cryptographic officer, Service US 6th fleet. He worked at Westinghouse Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory from 1955-1991 in engineering and management positions, designing and testing nuclear reactors for the Navy, and was awarded six patent disclosures. He was Penn Hills school director from 1965-1991 and a director at Allegheny Intermediate Unit from 1976-86, where he served as president from 1984-1986. He was one of the founders of the Pennsylvania School District Liquid Asset Fund in 1982 and served as a PSDLAF director from 1982-1992. He was also a PTA life member, and served as a director for PSBA Region 14, 1986-1988, was president of Pennsylvania School Boards Association in 1991, and a director for Pennsylvania School Boards Association Insurance Trust from 1999-2012. He was elected in 1971-73 as part of the team to draft the Penn Hills Home Rule Charter. He was a member of Westinghouse SURE (Service Uniting Retired Employees) from 1993 to 2019, and coordinator for the W-SURE Financial Roundtable from 1999 to 2013. He was awarded the Westinghouse Charlie Ruch Service Award in 2013 and wrote an information column for seniors in the Westinghouse SURE bi-monthly newsletter from 1997 to 2019. Additionally, he designed and supervised the construction of his Penn Hills family residence in 1960. Robert is survived by his wife, Nancy Anderson Miller; his three children, Jeffrey, Craig and Drue (Jet Townsend); and his sister, Betty Miller Sabo, of Boyertown.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, and also from 10 a.m. until the time of the funeral service at 11 a.m. Friday, at WOLFE MEMORIAL LLC., Forest Hills Chapel, 3604 Greensburg Pike, Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Private interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please send gifts in Robert's memory to Westinghouse SURE, 641 Braddock Ave., East Pittsburgh, PA 15112, or www.westinghousesure.org.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Penn Hills Progress from Dec. 29, 2019 to Jan. 9, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for Robert Miller

Sponsored by Wolfe Memorial, LLC.

5 Entries

John Matusz

January 2, 2020

I first met Bob in the 1960's when he was the supervisor of T&H group at Westinghouse Bettis Atomic facility. He was a smart guy and his door was always to other people's ideas. He officiated at my luncheon when I left Bettis. I next met him about 35 years later at a Westinghouse SURE meeting. I enjoyed talking with him and reading his SURE news letter contributions.

You have my sincere condolences on his passing.

John M. Matusz, Plum Boro

Richard Caugherty

January 2, 2020

Dear Miller family,
My deepest sympathies to you all. I taught English and journalism at Penn Hills High School for the years Bob served on the school board and we had many conversations about education and his children. Always admired him for trying to do what was right for Penn Hills and was sorry when he was no longer on the board. A great human being with qualities that are missing today in our society. You will always have found memories and they never go away.
With my sympathy,
Richard Caugherty

Ralph Dioletta

December 30, 2019

Dear Nancy , my deepest sympathies to you and yours. You are in my prayers. God Bless !

Dr Edward Maritz Jr

December 29, 2019

I had the distinct honor to serve with Bob on the Sto-Rox School Board in the early 1990's when he was simultaneously serving as a member of the State-Appointed Board-of-Control.

Bob was a man of impeccable integrity with an insatiable appetite for learning and data-driven decision making. I was in my early 20's and just staring my school board service in 1993. Bob took me under his wing and we become fast friends and he was a valued mentor to me.

As is often the case in local-level politics, discussions often became intense with emotions running high. Bob was consistently unflappable and always had a way to interject himself into a debate with his wisdom and experience while simultaneously sprinkling a little dry wit to ease the divide. Bob was the epitome of a "Better Angel" that so often prevailed.

Bob made me do my homework and as a result he made an indelible mark on my professional life. Mr. Miller served for many many years on his home school board at Penn Hills, along with his 7 years on the Sto-Rox Board of Control.

Bob's life was a life lived and one that impacted the lives of so many students who likely never met him nor may they ever know who he was. However, his unselfish devotion to the betterment of public education in general, and to students specifically, was unparalleled and likely to be unmatched in the future.

May Godspeed to this 'Gentleman's Gentleman' who was a true 'salt-of-the earth' person. A long life well lived and one of unselfish service to others. Rest in peace my dear friend and God Bless those that mourn your passing.

Dr Edward Maritz Jr

December 29, 2019

Showing 1 - 5 of 5 results