Ronald L. Miller Jr.

2/12/1955 - 5/24/2025

Gales Ferry - Ronald L. Miller Jr., 70, died unexpectedly on Saturday, May 24, 2025. He is survived by his beloved wife, Marcia Miller.

Ron was born in Escondido, Calif. Feb. 12, 1955, and graduated from San Marcos High School in 1973, where he played soccer and was drum major for the Knight Marching Band for his junior and senior years.

He was accepted to and attended the Naval Academy in Annapolis where he majored in naval architecture and graduated June 9, 1977. Following graduation, he worked in D.C. at the David Taylor Model Basin before heading to Nuclear Power School in Orlando and Idaho for reactor training. His first duty station was in San Diego on the USS Guardfish (SSN 612) as assistant engineer from 1979 to 1983. Before leaving San Diego, his son Charlie, was born. His next assignment was radcon officer for Subase New London, 1983 to 1986, where he successfully brought the USS Nautilus (SSN 571) to the base to become the current museum. His next assignment was on the USS Augusta (SSN 712) as navigator and operations officer from 1986 to 1989. He attended the War College in Newport, R.I., and received a master's degree in foreign policy and strategic studies. His next assignment was on the USS Ulysses S. Grant, (SSBN 631), gold and combined crews, as executive officer, and he decommissioned that submarine in 1992. From there he went back to the War College as a faculty member in the War Gaming Department from 1992 to 1994. He retired in 1994.

After retirement he went to work for Sonalysts, a company started by a former submariner that does work for the submarine service. He received his second master's in computer science with a concentration in database. Ron worked for them for 26 years, with his final retirement in 2021.

Ron was very active in the community. He was an active member of the Rotary Club of Ledyard. He played the euphonium in the Waterford Community Band. He was active in his church, the United Methodist Church of Gales Ferry. He was on the Board of Trustees, and in the choir and the contemporary ensemble. He was the go-to person for any problem in the church; almost any week you could find him fixing something. He participated in the yearly mission trip doing home repair for the needy. Ron was a "MacGyver," he could repair almost anything and solve most problems quickly. He was also very creative and put his passion into creating stained glass panels and other stained-glass items. Ron was an honest, hardworking man who loved his country, his friends, his church and most of all, his family.

Ron was married to his high school sweetheart, Marcia (Petersen) in 1977. They had one son, Charlie who is the Deputy Chief of Police for Willimantic, and a daughter-in-law Colleen (Corrigan). He is also survived by his mother Jane Slyziuk; father Ronald L. Miller Sr.; sisters: Debby, Kathleen, Melody, Shannon and Lisa; and his brother Matt; as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins. He will truly be missed.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 31, at the United Methodist Church of Gales Ferry, 10 Chapman Lane, Gales Ferry. Burial will be in the church Memorial Garden. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the United Methodist Church of Gales Ferry, 10 Chapman Lane, Gales Ferry CT 06335. The Dinoto Funeral Home is assisting the family.