Arthur C. Miller

1946 - 2019

On Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019 in Clearwater, Florida the high temperature was 66 degrees. For Arthur Miller, that was a bit too cold. Arthur C. Miller, 72, of Spencerville and Clearwater, Florida was called home to be with the Lord this day. Art passed away in Clearwater where he was wishing it was just a little bit warmer but thankful he was not in the Ohio snow storm.
Arthur Miller - or as others fondly knew him, Art or Pops - was born to Everett and Elsie (Bell) Miller on Oct. 4, 1946. He was raised along with his older sister, Loretta (Ed) Armentrout and his younger sister, Libby (Dick) Fetter who preceded him in death in 2005. He was also preceded in death by his parents and two infant brothers.
He graduated from Spencerville High School in 1966. Art still bragged about the glory days on the 1963 football team who had a 10-0 season. Many of the records set that season are still in place today. He joined the Ohio National Guard while in High School. He was drafted into the US Army after graduation and served as a military policeman. His favorite memory from his years of service was issuing a parking ticket to a full-bird Colonel at Fort Devens Army Base in Massachusetts.
While in Massachusetts, a young nurse caught his eye. On March 15, Art and Twilla (Corliss) would have been married for 50 years. Their marriage produced one beloved daughter, Angela, who married Darrin Ewing in 1996. Anderson (Megan Muhlenkamp) and Conner Ewing are his favorite two grandsons. Receiving daily weather reports from Clearwater, Florida were the highlight of everyone's day, where Art resided when he was not in Ohio.
A few of the loved ones that will miss Arthur until they meet again are: his devoted wife and caregiver Twink Miller; his "Baby Girl" Angie Ewing and his favorite son-in-law Darrin Ewing; his favorite oldest grandson, Andy Ewing and fiancé Megan Muhlenkamp; his favorite youngest grandson Conner Ewing; his sister and brother-in-law Loretta and Ed Armentrout; nephew Daniel, his nephew's family Tony, Nicole and Elle Fetter of Germany (Libby Fetter) and his niece's family, Pamela and Todd Vandemark and all his favorite nurses at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital.
After suffering a stroke in 1997, Art retired from Ford Motor Company after 28 years. He became a certified open water scuba diver in 1975, a certified PADI Scuba Instructor in 1980 and in 1981 purchased Long Lake Scuba in Lima. He opened a second location, Gilboa Dive Center in 1990.
Diving was a passion for him and only months after his stroke and struggling physically, he took a dive trip to Cozumel, Mexico. Nothing could hold Art back from the life-long career which he loved so very much. He was positioned in the center of the dive boat in his wheelchair. A large wave rocked the dive boat pitching it from side to side dumping him and the wheelchair on its side. Art was promptly retrieved before he slid out the side opening of the boat. He friends quickly righted the wheelchair and secured him safety with a weight belt and another to the center mast. Art's zeal for life left him laughing and sharing this story for years to come. He loved scuba diving so much, that he dedicated more than half of his life training and certifying a whole generation of scuba divers, educational presentations at local schools including the Shawnee High School Marine Biology classes and Scuba Ranger programs for the Boy Scouts of America.
He held the office of President for the Ohio Council of Skin and Scuba Divers, Inc. and of the Lima Scubanauts. In addition to obtaining his PADI Scuba Instructor, Art was also a Scuba Instructor for Scuba Schools International (1986) and Handicapped Scuba Association (1987). Additionally, he worked with the Allen County Sheriff's Department Dive Team and other local law enforcement and fire departments.
Although Art had a less than average life span, he lived an extraordinary life. He travelled to Cuaracao, Fiji, Cayman Islands, Turks & Caicos, Bonaire, Honduras, Truk Lagoon, Palau, Bahamas, Kosrae and Cozumel. He continued to dive despite his physical limitations on land. Before hanging up his gear permanently, he had recorded over 5,000 dives. Art was a jokester and loved life to the fullest. He is running in the wind or swimming with the dolphins now.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Thomas E. Bayliff Funeral Home, Spencerville, with the Rev. Tom Shobe officiating. Military rites will be conducted at the funeral home by the Spencerville Veterans following the funeral service. The family will receive family and friends from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Spencerville Church of the Nazarene for summer youth camp.