Larry L. Miller

1948 - 2015

GALESBURG - Larry L. Miller, 67, passed away Monday evening, May 4, 2015, at Raleigh General Hospital in Beckley, West Virginia. The former Galesburg resident spent the last several years between his residences in Estero, Florida, and Champaign.
Larry was born on Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, 1948, to Francis Eleanor and Robert E. Miller in Galesburg; Larry's parents preceded him in death.
A man who could not stand still, Larry was said to have gerbil energy. Some called him the Energizer Bunny. He enjoyed making the world a better place and going on daring adventures, often alongside his wife of 41 years. Larry married Brenda Elaine Seaman on Aug. 25, 1973. She survives.
Larry is also survived by three daughters, Katherine (Michael) Kolodzie of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Haley (Kendall) Thrapp of Champaign, and Keegan Miller of Denver, Colorado; four sisters and three brothers, Bob Miller, Beth Herrin, Ginny McMillen and Doug Miller, all of Galesburg, Sandy Miller of Grand Junction, Colorado, Elaine (Dave) Stowell of San Diego, California, and Dan Miller of Knoxville; and three grandchildren, Kira, Eli and Michael.
Though he would one day become an international philanthropist and community ambassador, Larry had a humble start. He became an Eagle Scout in 1963 and found their goals of leadership, honesty, fairness and dependability to be good qualities to live by in all areas of his life. He worked multiple jobs to put himself through school, graduating from Costa Catholic High School in Galesburg in 1966. He enlisted in the Army Reserves and served for six years. After graduating from Western Illinois University with a degree in finance, Larry began his insurance career in 1972, working at his father's agency.
In 1979 Larry started his own agency with one employee, brokering policies for one insurance company. Over the years, the company grew, as did Larry's impact in the insurance industry. Larry served on advisory boards for Indiana Insurance Company and Milwaukee Insurance Company. He also served on the Long Range Planning Committee and as a board member for the Professional Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (PIIAI). He became a Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) in 1997. After 13 agency purchases, Larry's company had two branches, 28 employees, over 20 standard insurance carriers and was one of the largest independent agencies in Illinois owned by a single individual before he sold his agency in 2005 and retired.
Larry was active in his community as a member of the Galesburg Chamber of Commerce Board, Knox-Galesburg Economic Development board and area-wide board for OSF St. Mary's Hospital. He was named George E. Warren Outstanding Business Leader for Galesburg in 2000. He had been active in Rotary, Lions, and Exchange clubs and promoted Prairie Players, Orpheum Theatre, Big Brothers, and Boy Scouts non-profit organizations.
Larry's numerous adventures included wintry whitewater rafting in North Carolina, summer sledding down the streets of Madeira, Portugal, and participating as a spotter in the Eskimo/Indian Olympics in Fairbanks, Alaska. He went go-cart racing in the streets of Galesburg, parasailing in Acapulco, skiing the big hills of Colorado, scuba diving with the sharks of Tahiti and took a solo glider flight in the Rocky Mountains. He flew around the Outback of Australia in a twin engine plane, and sailed to Cuba through stormy seas in a 46-foot ketch that was once owned by Walter Cronkite. He enjoyed sailing so much that, in addition to captaining a boat for friends and family in the Caribbean, he had a hobby of helping owners move their sailboats from summer ports to winter ports. One such trip took him on a great adventure through the Panama Canal.
Traveling throughout the world was his greatest pleasure. He enjoyed seeing historical places, learning about different cultures and meeting new people. He visited at least 75 countries, islands and provinces. He was happy to open his home to host exchange students or foreign visitors, including students from Venezuela, Brazil, South Korea, China and Russia and business executives from Russia. He was especially proud of putting together three week training programs in Illinois for Russian insurance executives as part of the Center for Citizens Initiatives. Larry was a guest speaker at the first national insurance brokers convention in Moscow. He was also active in Rotary International projects that included delivering wheelchairs to San Salvador, participating in water projects and spearheading fund raising for a school water project in San Salvador, and giving polio vaccination drops to children in the indigent and nomad areas of India.
Larry enjoyed all family gatherings, often hosting large reunions to celebrate family who were in from out of town, or sometimes just because. Their three daughters were blessed to enjoy regular trips abroad while growing up, fostering a similar love of international travel and exploration. These trips would often include a 3000 mile driving tour of some new region or country. In recent years, Larry and Brenda hosted a special bi-annual family adventure, bringing their daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren together under one roof for a week of family fun and relaxation. He was a great life partner for his wife, an inspiring and imaginative father for his daughters and a terrific grandfather. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
A wake will be held Wednesday, May 13, 2015, at Watson-Thomas Funeral Home and Crematory, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Funeral service will also be at Watson-Thomas Funeral Home and Crematory, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Family and friends will continue to remember Larry at Cherry Street Pub beginning at 4:30 that afternoon.
Memorials may be made to the Larry and Brenda Miller Scholarship Endowment at Western Illinois University for the benefit of Finance and Accounting majors, or to the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
Online condolences to the family may be made at www.watsonthomas.com.