John D. "Jack" Miller

1928 - 2004

John D. "Jack" Miller, 75, died of complications of a stroke and cancer in Dallas on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2004.

Funeral: 2 p.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church, Dallas, with Dr. William J. Carl III, senior pastor, officiating.

Memorials: The family asks that memorials be made in Jack's honor to First Presbyterian Church of Dallas Foundation at 408 Park Ave., Dallas, Texas 75201.

Jack D. "Jack" Miller was born to Perry John and Elizabeth Miller on Oct. 16, 1928, in Burgettstown, Pa. A revered corporate executive who never saw a business problem too thorny to tackle, he was a community leader who never shirked from a civic problem in need of a solution. Although he served on a myriad of non-profit community organizations during his career, he was not ever a member in name only -- he was a tireless worker. With a passion for social justice and a commitment to equality, he served the total community in all of its diversity. His fine hand can be seen in service organizations across the breadth and depth of the greater Dallas community. With baccalaureate and master's degrees from Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, Jack Miller's career path began as a public schoolteacher and elementary school principal. He soon began his retail career with Leonard's Department Store in Fort Worth and subsequently spent several years in the Bay area with the White House Department Stores. In 1966, he began a 23-year association with Federated Department Stores. He ultimately became chairman and chief executive officer of Sanger-Harris Stores in the Southwest. Based in Dallas, he knew everyone in the company from the basement to the corporate suite. His innate interest in people and his "principal's" organizational skills and business acumen made him the perfect choice for his next position as chairman and chief executive officer of Lazarus Department Stores, Cincinnati, Ohio. He retired in 1989. Jack and Lee Miller returned to Dallas but retirement was not in the picture for Jack. Upon his return, he was persuaded by Trammel Crow to take on an interim turn around assignment as chairman and chief executive officer of the Dallas Market Center during 1992-93. Once the job was complete, Jack retired again. However, the community kept calling and he continued to answer as a full-time volunteer fund-raiser, board member, problem-solver and guide. The list of organizations he served throughout his life would fill several newspaper pages. The following list is representative of the scope of his community involvement. He served as either chairman or president of these groups: United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Dallas Better Business Bureau, Central Dallas Association, Greater Dallas Community of Churches, Cotton Bowl Council, Dallas Alliance, The Dallas Institute, Dallas Private Industry Council, Youthnet-City of Dallas Gang Prevention and Intervention and the Youth and Family Services Coordinating Council. He served as a director of Friends of the Dallas Public Library, executive committee; Friends of Fair Park; Community Council of Greater Dallas; Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc.; Texas American Bank of Fort Worth; Central Trust of Cincinnati; Presbyterian Theological Seminary of Austin; and Texas Wesleyan University of Fort Worth. Other organizations that benefited from his unselfish leadership include Genesis Women's Shelter; Reading and Radio Resource (formerly Dallas Taping for the Blind); East Dallas Community School; and Austin Street Ministries/Shelter Ministries. These groups and the people they serve will be the permanent beneficiaries of Jack Miller's clear-minded guidance and his generosity of both spirit and resources. Not only did he serve his terms willingly, he also recruited future board members who could provide leadership to the organizations in the future. Mr. Miller was an elder, a very active member of and Sunday school teacher at First Presbyterian Church of Dallas. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War and was a 32nd degree Mason and member of the Moslah Temple in Fort Worth.

Survivors: Jack Miller's wife of 53 years, Evalee Bell Miller survives him as do their three children and their families; daughter, Susan Kay Miller Woodson and her husband, Doug, of Houston, their son, David Mitchell Woodson, their daughter, Shannon Woodson Bennefeld, and her husband, Alan, and their daughter, Kate Lynn; son, David Craig Miller and his wife, Mary, of Westfield, N.J., and children, Carlee Rose, Mallory Rome, David Craig Jr., Kelli Cristine, Mark Christopher and Anne Marie; and son, Bryan Miller and his wife, Elizabeth Embree, of Bentonville, Ark., and children, Samantha Kay, Matthew Bryan and Jacqueline Elizabeth.