Russell Duane Miller

Russell Duane Miller, the best son, brother, husband, father, grandpa, uncle, teacher, scoutmaster and coach we could ever imagine, died early on his 86th birthday, January 7, 2023, of causes related to his age.
Russell was born on a very cold January 7, 1937, in Shelley, Idaho, to Robert L and Esther Lillian Wilde Miller. The fourth of six children, he enjoyed a simple but rewarding childhood, excelling in school, hard work and baseball. He insists he and his brother Ralph won the World Potato-Picking Championship in the 1950s.
Russell was a pitcher, and was a standout for his Idaho Falls High School, American Legion and Idaho State College teams. At Idaho State, he enjoyed his studies and experiences at the LDS Institute, where he was impressed to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in Northern California.
Later, while at Idaho State, he met Karen Crane, a nursing student from Bennington, Idaho. They were married on October 19, 1961, in the Logan Utah Temple. They are the parents of five children, Chris, Barbara, Becky, Brenda and Paul, as well as foster daughter LaVerta Mason.
After graduating from Idaho State, with additional schooling at BYU and a master's degree from Utah State, Russell began a 40-year teaching career. He taught in Idaho, Washington and Utah, most significantly at Roy Junior and Sand Ridge Junior High Schools. He loved impacting young lives during their early teenage years. He also coached the Scorpions baseball team and his kids' and grandkids' sports teams.
Living in Roy, Russell and Karen were involved in church and community projects. He served as bishop of the Roy 13th Ward, but relished every one of his assignments to teach, minister, support and worship with his friends and neighbors. He was a longtime Scoutmaster, merit badge counselor and Eagle Scout board member. He spent his summers growing and preserving tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes and raspberries. He enjoyed sharing his talent for woodworking with friends and family.
Russell relished spending summers camping and gardening with his family, and enjoyed extended family reunions. Along the way our Dad took up photography and part of his legacy is the countless reunion experiences, ballgames, parties, trips and activities he turned into movies, DVDs and video recordings for his posterity.
After retiring, Russell and Karen served a senior church mission to Hong Kong and Macau, where he was branch president. They were and are a wonderful companionship. Following their mission, they moved to Riverdale and enjoyed serving at the Ogden Temple, hosting family parties and worshiping with the Riverdale 8th Ward. Mom passed away in 2008. We are glad to have them back together as eternal companions.
Dad served missions at the Family History Center in Salt Lake City and in inner-city Ogden.
He was married briefly to Patricia Staples and Lorraine Underwood. For the last 13 months he chose to live at Sunridge Assisted Living Center, and made great friendships with all he met there.
Russell is survived by his children, Chris (Michelle) Miller, Barbara (Eric) Greenhalgh, Becky Nelson, Brenda (Troy Nielsen), Paul (Joanne) Miller and LaVerta Mason, as well as 22 amazing grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. He is also survived by two of his siblings, Robert Ivan (Isobel) Miller and Marilyn Harrington, as well as a wonderful group of in-laws, friends and posterity that honor him as a family patriarch.
He was preceded in death by his wife and companion Karen, his parents and brothers Joe, Marion and Ralph, grandson Robert Victor Nielsen and great-granddaughter Kayleigh McNutt.
Funeral services will be Saturday, January 14, 2023, at 11 a.m. at the Riverdale 8th Ward, 4000 Parker Drive (1150 West) in Riverdale. A viewing for friends and family will be on Friday, January 13, from 6-8 p.m., at Myers Roy Mortuary (5865 South 1900 West) in Roy, and on Saturday, from 9:30-10:30 a.m., prior to services at the church.
He will be buried in the Bennington, Idaho, cemetery next to Karen, his eternal wife and companion.
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