Mark Earl Miller

Mark Earl Miller, of Richmond, Oregon, passed away suddenly and peacefully on Thursday, October 23rd.

Mark was born July 29th, 1951, in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was the second child of Ralph E. Miller and Lorraine Goodrich Miller. Mark was one of five children in the Miller family. As a young family they lived in the Seattle, WA area. While his father was studying, the family spent a year in Germany, and this greatly influenced Mark throughout his life. His love of languages, and particularly German, entertained him and made connections for him all over the world. Mark was an active child and enjoyed the freedom of a 1950's and 60's childhood in Normandy Park, WA. Mark excelled at swimming and was competitive during high school. He boasted that his high school swimming relay team had held the pool record for 20 years. Mark graduated from Highline High School in 1969 and studied computer science and forestry engineering at University of Washington and Washington State University.

After graduating college, Mark worked in a variety of jobs, many forestry related. During a stint at the Forest Service, Mark met Linda Donnelly. Mark and Linda wed in December 1974. They worked together for many years and had five children. They were a part of a tree-planting cooperative called NEOWOC for a few years in the woods, where they formed lifelong friendships and connections to the forestry industry. Later Mark started KayuSoft International, a computer programming business that he ran from home in Richmond, Oregon. During the 1980s he developed a fairly successful program called Computer Shooter, which calculated the starting point and trajectory of a bullet based on multiple factors. After selling Computer Shooter to criminal investigative organizations in the US and overseas, he returned to focusing on forestry. For many years Mark contracted with private landowners and the government on forestry jobs with his company Natural Geographic. He employed his kids, wayward youths, friends, and a few renegades on timber cruising jobs all over the pacific northwest. Mark won awards for his forestry management style, which preserved the healthiest trees and sustained the forest long after the logging was completed. After 30 years of marriage, Mark and Linda went their separate ways; but they remained united in dedication to their children, and later were neighbors in Richmond.

Always an adventurer, Mark was a lifelong lover of aviation. For many years he kept a small airplane. He would use it on forestry jobs, and as transport around the area. Mark had an airstrip at home in Richmond for a few years, then one in the Donnelly Basin near Service Creek. He loved flying, and enjoyed taking his friends and family on flights. He flew his nephew, and friends into remote areas for hunting trips, his children to school a time or two in Spray, to the Prom, and to the Jr. Olympics youth track meet in Mitchell. Mark loved to visit the most remote cow pasture and logging skid trail airstrips, as well as municipal airports to chat with fellow aviators.

Mark travelled all over the United States and explored Europe, Russia, Indonesia, and the Pacific. Mark was always interested in bettering the environment, he loved the woods and was a lifelong outdoorsman. He had a fondness for babies and children, and deeply believed in education. He served on the Spray School Board, and was always supportive of his communities' youth. He had a penchant for writing poetry, sometimes in other languages, and could often be found giving out silver dollars around Wheeler County. Mark loved music and practiced clarinet as often as he could, and brought together musicians of all sorts over the years to jam or perform in the historic Richmond Church. Notable performers included Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Jonathan Bird, Doug and Telisha Williams and many more.

Mark was preceded in death by his beloved parents, Ralph Earl Miller, and Lorraine Goodrich Miller, and his nephew Brett Fairchild.

Survivors include in no particular order: former spouse Linda Donnelly of Richmond; sister Terri (Miller) Hopkins and brother-in-law Robert Hopkins, of Portland; brother Scott Miller and sister-in-law Lisa Crubaugh, of Kirkland; brother David Miller and sister-in-law Nancy McGinnis, of Normandy Park; sister Sara Miller and brother-in-law Mike Hale, of Joseph. His children: daughter Celeste Miller and partner Edward Littlefield, Seattle; son Cy Miller and spouse Maireng Edward, their children Olesel and Ilecherong, Spray; daughter Emma (Miller) Asher and spouse Jon Asher, and their children Jon Nolan and Virginia, Spray; son Wyatt Miller and spouse Marissa (Potter) Miller, their son Bodhi, Walla Walla; son Asa Miller and spouse Jessianne (Heley) Miller, and their children Leland, Rylan, and Rio, Moro; and son Dalton Montgomery, Boise. His many nieces and nephews: Hannah (Miller) McClinton, her sons Eniah McClinton and spouse Fern, and Tao McClinton; Adam Hopkins and spouse Heather Brown, their children Annabelle and Elliot; Gabe Hale and spouse Cammie Hale, and their children Dawson, Weston and Abigail; Sam Hopkins and spouse Suzanne Chi; Prairie Hale and spouse Jon Wagner, and their children Harlan and Bill; Alyssa (Miller) Panichella and spouse Chris Panichella, and their children Nico, Livia, and Micah; Matt Miller and spouse Olga Miller, and their children Sofia and Lana; Ezekial Hale and spouse Esther Gorsuch, Abraam Miller and spouse Valerie Miller, and their children Ralph, Penny, and Nora; Leo Miller; Sarah Hopkins and spouse Julian Illingworth, and their children Roger and Arthur; Rosalena Miller and spouse Garrett Kellogg, and their children Ellis and Kian. Donnelly nephews: Rory Donnelly and spouse Meav Donnelly; Luke Donnelly and spouse Kiersten Donnelly; Brian Fairchild and spouse Stefanie Fairchild and their children Sean and Stevie. Brett's spouse Meghan Fairchild and their children Adaline and Grady.

At this time there are no public services to be held for Mark. We ask that you give the family peace and respect their need for privacy for now.

It would be remiss to not address addiction and alcoholism when remembering Mark. He suffered long and hard with his battles. His addiction influenced every aspect of his life and all of his relationships. Mark was an alcoholic, and was also an amazing, intelligent and loving human. Recovery did not happen for him, but it is an obtainable option, seek sobriety.

Memorial contributions can be made by check to the following community programs that supported Mark over the years:

Fossil Community Food Pantry

PO Box 332, Fossil, OR 97830

Spray Volunteer Ambulance

PO Box 155, Spray, OR 97874

Wheeler County Community Transportation

PO Box 111, Spray, OR 97874