Dean Robert Miller

Dean Robert Miller, 89, of Terre Haute, died on August 18, 2025 in his home. He was born on October 23, 1935 in San Francisco, California to John D. Miller and Emma L. Miller. He spent the first five years of his life on Alcatraz Island where his dad worked. Dean was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 63 years, Janet Louise Shank, and his son Stephen. He is survived by his son Keith of Indianapolis, daughter Ruth Lynn (Geoff), grandson Joshua Stephen, granddaughter Emily Marie, all of Los Angeles, California, and several nieces and nephews. He was part of the District of Columbia National Guard. He spent much of his life in the business world, even working in his high school's bank and a regular bank in Washington DC during his high school years. As part of his duties, he would take the checks to the local clearing house. Even from this young age, his trustworthiness was evident. Dean then spent decades, most often in the business office as assistant manager or acting manager, with the Federal Bureau of Prisons. During those many years, he lived and worked in Hyattsville, Maryland; Washington, D.C.; Ashland, Kentucky; Marion, Illinois; and Lakewood, California. He retired in 1987 from the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana after 30 years with the Federal Bureau of Prisons. His business skills even translated to Dean and Janet eventually teaching budget seminars in their local area. He was an active member of his church, leading senior adult classes and connection groups, and participating in the Senior Singers and senior Bible study group. Dean was also active with the Senior Seekers, Camp Bluebird, Federal Prison Retirees Association (local and national), Mended Hearts, Life Support Group (Living in Full Every Day), and the National Association of Retired Federal Employees. He spent 12 years working as a chaplain at Union Hospital. There weren't many people, staff or visitors, who didn't recognize Dean when he walked through the hospital doors. He and Janet gave their lives to caring for other people. Counting the number of hours they gave, in and out of their home, to care for and help others, would be impossible. Even in their 80s, Dean and Janet could be found caring for people older than they were. Dean and Janet loved to travel, whether for an overnight trip to Indy or Evansville, a conference in Florida or New York or Colorado, dozens of trips to visit the kids and grandkids in Florida, Michigan, and California, a vacation across the country to the West Coast to visit family and see familiar sites, dozens of trips and vacations to Maryland to see family and friends or to spend time in Dean's beloved Ocean City, Maryland, and their trips to Bermuda and Hawaii, a place they always wanted to go back to. Dean's hobbies included working with PAPERS, playing and watching golf, clipping news articles and magazine nuggets (i.e. papers), collecting business cards, bridge post cards, and medium-sized rocks. Dean took notes (another form of papers) for years of messages in church. He loved listening and learning! His love of papers also meant typing on a manual typewriter. Until late in his life, he would buy carbon paper to use. At a very young age, his grandkids were taught to type on that typewriter. His beloved typewriter now rests in a museum. He loved playing golf with first his dad and later Keith. Many weekends, he could be found in his home office shuffling the above said papers and watching a golf tournament. Dean found peace and serenity in the outdoors. His daily walks, until the very end and eventually pushed in a wheelchair, were a ritual. If you were a part of Dean's life, you most likely took a walk or a hike with him at some point in his 90 years. He loved to sit among the rocks of Joshua Tree National Park, walk among the trees of Shenandoah National Park, swim in the ocean of the east coast, sit and watch the waterfalls of Great Falls or Multnomah, drive around Mt. Hood, stroll the beaches of Pensacola, hike the trails of Michigan parks along Lake Michigan, walk the Terre Haute Heritage Trail, loop the country roads near home, and sit by his Fowler Park lake. Just about 6 weeks before his death, he was able to make one final trip to the banks of the Wabash where, even with his failing eye sight and hearing, he basked in the sound of the river and the movement of the trees. This same spot is where he sat just days after he said goodbye to his beloved Janet. Peace. Solitude. Comfort. That is what the outdoors meant to Dean. Ironically, but maybe not, Dean has chosen cremation. Dust to dust. Ashes to ashes. May he rest peacefully in the earth and beauty he loved. A private graveside service will take place at a later date. If you would like to remember Dean (and Janet), consider giving to The American Heart Association, The Navigators, or Kids Hope USA. Even better maybe, honor their memory by "treating the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, loving him as yourself" and "do not forget to show hospitality to strangers." These words exemplify the life of Dean, and also Janet. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Dean Robert Miller, please visit our floral store.