Benjamin Robertson Miller Jr.

Benjamin Robertson Miller, Jr., 77, died at his home in Baton Rouge, LA, on December 2, 2014, after a short and courageous battle with lung cancer. Born November 17, 1937, in Baton Rouge to Margaret Terry and Ben Robertson Miller, Sr., he is survived by the love of his life and the creator of the twinkle in his eye, his wife, Bettsie Baker Miller of Baton Rouge. His children include: Benjamin Miller, III of New Orleans; "Mi Mi" Miller-Gomez of Houston, TX; Cate Miller DeMartino of McLean, VA; Sister Suzanne Miller of Westwego, LA; and Sarah Elizabeth Herrmann of Kailua, HI; spouses Robert Gomez; Robert DeMartino; David Herrmann; and Kathryn Royer; brother, Terry Hollis Miller, Sr. and wife, Ann Dickson Miller of Baton Rouge; eight grandchildren, and Mertie Cate Barnes Miller, mother of his children. Ben lived a life with clarity, dignity, and humility. His legacy of service to his community and his profession were among his greatest accomplishments. Ben demanded excellence, lived with integrity, and traded on trust and fairness in all of his business dealings. His commitment to the Baton Rouge community was widely known, as was his love for LSU. Ben's strong work ethic and belief in checklists were the foundations for building the largest law practice in Baton Rouge, known for its diverse workforce and its principled practices. Ben's humble manner was matched by his quiet determination… his lifetime of civic and faith-based philanthropic contributions positively shaped Baton Rouge. Ben brought the Wilbur Marvin Foundation as a support organization to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation -- a partnership that secured the future for the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. Ben had a lifetime love of tennis, a newfound love for golf, and an ongoing passion for photography. Ben earned his Bachelor of Science degree and his Juris Doctor, graduating cum laude, from Louisiana State University (LSU) and LSU Law Center in 1961. He is a member of the LSU Law School Hall of Fame. He was a member of the Order of the Coif and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Louisiana Law Review. Upon graduation, Ben served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's School in Charlottesville, VA. Returning to Baton Rouge, he worked under the tutelage of Judge Alvin Rubin. He was a founding member of the law firm Kean Miller, LLP in 1983. His law practice spanned over 53 years and included work in the following areas: commercial and industrial transactions, real estate, tax and corporate law with a particular focus on commercial and industrial acquisitions, mergers and acquisitions, as well as estate, tax and trust planning. Ben was the firm's first managing partner, serving for 15 years. He was active in the American, Baton Rouge and LA State Bar Associations, and the LA Bar Foundation. Ben was committed to improving the broader Baton Rouge community and the state of Louisiana. He gave his time and expertise in many volunteer capacities. Ben was Chairman, Vice President, and Secretary of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, as well as Secretary and member of the Board of the Wilbur Marvin Foundation. Ben served in a number of leadership roles at St. James Episcopal Church, Episcopal High School, and St. James Place Retirement Community. He was an officer and served on many boards including: Board of Trustees of the LSU Law Center; Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation; Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC); Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations (LANO); Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR); Future Pac; City Club of Baton Rouge; Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI); Louisiana Partnership for Technology and Innovation; and the Capital Area Transit System (CATS), among others. Ben, as a Sigma Chi, upheld the ideals of friendship, justice, and learning. While at LSU, Ben was pledge master and treasurer for the Gamma Iota Chapter. As an alumni, he worked for the improvement of Gamma Iota by staying active with the alumni organization and also serving on the house corporation.Services will be held at St. James Episcopal Church, 205 N. 4th Street, St., Baton Rouge, LA 70801, on Friday, December 5, 2014. Visitation begins at 10 a.m. with a Eucharistic service at noon. Inurnment following at the Columbarium of St. James Episcopal Church. A reception to honor Ben will be held at a later date. Honorary Pall Bearers are Terry H. Miller; John N. Carmena; H. Norman Saurage III; Ben R. Miller III; Terry H. Miller, Jr.; John M. Miller; Walter L. Comeaux; Charles S. McCowan; Joshua A. Norton; Henry K. Miller, Jr.; and Fred L. Chevalier. In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to organizations that were meaningful to Ben including: St. James Episcopal Day School (445 Convention Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802); the University Laboratory School (45 Dalrymple Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70802); or the "B.R. Miller Scholarship" at the LSU Foundation for the benefit of the LSU Law School (3838 W Lakeshore Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808).