Abraham Jay Miller

Abraham (Abe) Jay Miller, 86, of Plain City, passed away on Saturday, August 23rd, 2025, with his daughters and son-in-law by his side. Abe was born on the family homestead in Plain City on July 2nd, 1939, to the late Alvin and Sarah (Kramer) Miller. Abe was the seventh of twelve children and, like many Amish children in Plain City, he attended the one-room schoolhouse on the corner of St. Rt. 42 and Converse Huff Road.

After he finished school, he moved to Sarasota, Florida and worked in construction. He then enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1962 before he was honorably discharged in 1966. He spent much of his time in the service in Okinawa, Japan, while it was under U.S. Administration control after World War II. On return to Plain City, he began a career at Ranco Controls, where he was one of the most respected tool and die makers in the factory. He continued his career there for more than 30 years, retiring in the mid-1990's.

He could do, fix, or craft anything. He made a hog roaster out of an old fuel oil tank and roasted many hogs for many friends and family throughout the years. After Ranco went out of business, he purchased many of the machines that he had used during his years of employment; and with those machines in his shop at home, he could make just about any tool or machine part. In more recent years, he got into woodworking and made several types of locks and even hand-crafted a four-foot-tall clock with every single piece made of wood.

Some years after retirement, he bought a home in Sarasota, Florida and spent the past 15 winters in the warm, sunny weather. In Florida, he really looked forward to weekly rotating "Happy Hours" with his neighbors and friends.

Abe enjoyed many hobbies throughout the years including bowling, birdwatching (Purple Martins), flying model airplanes and golfing, where he achieved two holes-in-one and his favorite clubs were the 7-iron and the Foot Wedge! He also enjoyed staying on Middle Bass Island at Lake Erie and fishing with friends. He spent lots of time hunting his own property and his good friends' property in Hocking Hills, known as Lapp Land. He also enjoyed physical activity, cutting and splitting wood each fall to heat the house each winter. He participated in a Senior Softball League in his 70's and won several tournaments. Well into his 80's, he could often be seen riding his bicycle around the country roads in Plain City or around the neighborhood in Sarasota, Florida.

Abe was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles 3974, in Woodstock, Ohio, and he loved a good fish fry and a good buffet! He enjoyed watching Nascar and rooting for his favorite sports teams, the Buckeyes, the Bengals and the Reds.

He was known as the "fun uncle" to his nieces and nephews in the area. He loved to host the family at his place for camping and fun riding his toys (three-wheelers and snowmobiles). He also hand-crafted slingshots (bean shooters) for the kids and made gallons and gallons of homemade ice cream. He also made roasting forks, hatchets and fire pokers for these events.

Above all, he was a family man and dedicated his time helping his daughters, grandchildren, siblings and nieces and nephews. He was fortunate to have attended the recent weekend-long triennial Al and Sarah Miller Family Reunion in June of this year where attendees came from all over the U.S. back to the Plain City area.

Abe was preceded in death by his parents and siblings: Mabel Miller, Ada Yoder, Arie Kaufman, Alma Kaufman, John Miller, Dan Miller, and Miriam Casey; brothers-in-law Dan Kaufman, John Yoder, and Henry Hershberger.

Abe is survived by daughters Bobbie Williams of Plain City and Tricia (John) Daniels of Marysville; Grandchildren, Tim (Carolyn) Williams, Mark Williams, Janie and Emily Clayton, Jason and Sabrina Daniels; Great-Grandsons Jaxon and Henry Williams.

Additionally, he is survived by sisters: Susie Hershberger of LaGrange, Indiana, Mary (John) Mast of Mount Crawford, Virginia, Katherine (Eli) Plank of Plain City, and Sarah (Hubert) Miller of Plain City; sister-in-law Katie Miller of Holmes County; brother-in-law Danny Casey, of Plain City; 51 nieces and nephews; and countless friends.

Per Abe's wishes, there will not be a formal service or funeral. His wish was to have family and friends gather to celebrate his life. His daughters and family invite you to join them at an open house on Sunday, September 14th, 2025, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at the Marysville Moose Lodge Family Center, 1561 Milford Avenue, Marysville, OH 43040. The open house will be held in the event room in the lower level, entrance on the West side of the building.

Please visit www.fergusonfuneralhomeinc.com to share a special memory. Ferguson Funeral Home, Plain City, Ohio is honored to care for the Miller family.