David C. Miller

David C. Miller, age 90, a resident of Downers Grove, IL, was called to eternal rest in Jesus on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. He was born June 6, 1935 in Corning, New York to Reverend Carl & Anita Miller.

In the 1940s he grew up on Whittaker St. in Detroit, and later his family moved to Sebewaing Michigan. Following High School graduation from Michigan Lutheran Seminary (Class of 1953), his interest in mathematics and engineering led him to the University of Michigan where he earned a bachelor's and master's degrees in physics.

He worked in technical positions for companies including Toledo Scale and Owens-Illinois. He entered graduate school at the University of Toledo and completed a PhD in astrophysics in 1970. He founded a physics department at Alpena Community College before returning to industry in analytical computing, engineering and research at American Motors and Smith Hinchman & Grylls in Detroit as well as Amoco Research Center in Naperville, Illinois. He was a licensed Professional Engineer and the originator of multiple patents in acoustic analysis for leak detection. He retired from Amoco in 2000.

He met his wife Carol Ann Schaedler from Blissfield, Michigan and they were married in October 1967. They raised three sons, Aaron (Toledo, OH 1970), Nathan (Alpena, MI 1973) and Jeremy (Redford, MI 1978). In 1980 they moved to their much-loved Chicago brick bungalow on Maple Avenue in Downers Grove Illinois that became the family's home for 45 years.

David served faithfully as a church leader at Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church in Downers Grove. He was a lifelong lover of music, a consummate bibliophile, and enjoyed large collections of both books and albums. In retirement he developed his skills at painting and other lifelong interests such as short-wave radio. He was typically found ensconced in his signature basement studio/short wave listening post/technical library.

He will be best remembered as a loving father, husband, and dedicated servant to Jesus his Lord and Savior, in whose peace he now rests.

He is survived by his three sons: Aaron (Joelle), Nathan and Jeremy (Jennifer) Miller; his four grandchildren Stefan, Zavier, Anita and Hazel; his sister Elain McClay (Miller); his brother-in-law Phillip Schaedler and sisters-in-law Mary Miller (Haas) and Laura Schaedler.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Carol Miller (Schaedler), brother Larry Miller, brother-in-law John McClay, and nephew Mark McClay.

A funeral service for David will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at Hultgren Funeral Home at 304 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL 60187. Visitation is at 1:00 pm with a funeral service at 2:00 pm. Interment is planned in Pleasant View Cemetery, Petersburg, MI at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church, 525 W. 63rd Street in Downers Grove Illinois.

Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.