Bruce W. Miller

1921 - 2016

Bruce W. Miller, 95, Washington, passed away Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016.

Bruce, son of the late Ed Miller and wife Etta, nee Owens, was born March 18, 1921, in Bland. He entered the Army at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, April 10, 1942, and served until Sept. 25, 1945, as a heavy machine gunner in the infantry. After 13 weeks of training at Camp Roberts in California and at various camps on the California coast, in September 1942, his unit was shipped to Florida. The 116th Infantry, H Company, 2nd Battalion was headed overseas on the Queen Mary. They arrived in Scotland and later were sent to England for 21 months of amphibious training on the English Channel preparing to land at Normandy. It was there in England, that Bruce met his future wife, Vera Thomas, a member of the British Army Corps. On June 6, 1944, his unit landed on Omaha Beach. It was there that Bruce lost friends and fellow soldiers during the beach landing. The soldiers were pinned down for four to five hours. Those of his unit who survived the landing later made their way to Germany, France, Holland and Belgium. Bruce was wounded twice by flying shrapnel and lost hearing in one ear due to a shell concussion. Bruce served in the European African Middle Eastern Theater of Operations and received the following awards and citations: four Bronze Stars for Campaigns in Central Europe, Rhineland, Normandy, and France, the Good Conduct Medal, and two Purple Hearts.

After the war, Bruce returned to England and married Vera June 6, 1945. Bruce and Vera returned to Washington, where he went to work for the Army Corps of Engineers on the Missouri River, and later was a member of the carpenters union. After retiring, he volunteered at the local food pantries, collecting and distributing food. On May 3, 2008, Bruce was honored to be chosen by the Franklin County Honor Flight, an organization out of Union, to fly and see the World War II Monument in Washington, D.C. The flight consisted of World War II, Korean and Vietnam veterans, their guardians and the organizers. Sen. Bob Dole was there to greet the veterans as they arrived at the memorial. "They treated us so nice, and many people stopped to shake our hands and say thanks at the memorial and airports," Bruce recalled fondly. He was also an avid fisherman and member of the First United Methodist Church. He resided at Cedarcrest Manor since 2007, where he passed away.

Bruce is survived by one daughter, Rosalie McGaugh, Washington; one son, Bruce Miller Jr. and wife Sharon, nee Heckelmann, Woodstock, Ga.; two grandchildren, Andrea Miller, Lilburn, Ga., and Deena Stevenson, Waleska, Ga.; and four great-grandchildren, Ethan O'Donough, Dean Jones, Ella and Luke Stevenson.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Tom Miller, Belle, and Harvey Miller, Red Bluff, Calif.; and two sisters, Marie Mueller, Washington, and Zoa Hogan, Kansas City.

A funeral service was held Monday, Dec. 12, at noon at Oltmann Funeral Home, Washington, with the Rev. Gary Daud officiating.

Burial followed in St. Peter's United Church of Christ Cemetery, Washington.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Franklin County Honor Flight, St. Peter's Food Pantry or St. Francis Borgia Food Pantry.

The Miller family was served by Oltmann Funeral Home, Washington.