Robert "R.J." Joseph Miller II, age 75, of Las Vegas, Nevada passed away on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Born in Des Moines, Iowa. Oldest of four kids; Bob, Nancy, Mark, Tom, all 1-year part. Survived by brothers, Tom & Mark.
We moved to the country 1 mile outside of Des Moines city limit and we had a Huckleberry Finn / Tom Sawyer upbringing in the country. He graduated from Johnston HS, 1967.
He played baseball from an early age on, later football in HS. And his passion.. golf.
R.J., as a senior, me a sophomore and Tom a freshman, we were 3 of the 6 guys on the golf team, so if we couldn’t show up, they had to cancel the golf-meet.
R.J. was always very competitive; he was thrown out of a baseball game as an 11-year-old for unnecessary roughness cause the catcher was in the way of R.J. scoring a run.
Growing up with Bob, well our older brother was with us.. so let’s go do it!!
R.J. was drafted into the Marine Corps in summer of 1969. He was ‘very mischievous’ as a young man, and he told me about 150 guys showed up for draft and the Drill Sergeant yelled out.. “Miller, Jones and Smith.. you’re going to the Marine Corps!”
He came home from boot camp Christmas ’69. He told me that based on his ‘testing scores’, they made him a ‘Military Police’.. we couldn’t stop laughing for an hour! AND he was stationed in San Diego for the next 2 years.. At the ‘MCRD’, /marine corp. recruit depot. That’s the kind of luck RJ would draw towards him!
I returned to California with R.J., Dec. 1969. Now, at 18, I’m with my 20 year-old, older brother in San Diego.. put the seatbelt on!
R.J. married Janet in 1968. Jacque, his beautiful daughter, was born Christmas day, 1969. Todd, his wonderful son, was born November 10, 1970. Birthday of the Marine Corps. He had five beautiful grandkids (Larissa, Zack, Rysinn, Brielle, and Abbi) and felt just beyond blessed with them!
Bob was always there for his family and his friends. R.J. has always had lots of friends, and I mean friends who really loved him. I was a little envious, I mean look at all his friends here that truly love R.J.
We had a BLAST 2.0 !! Just living life with my older brother R.J. We did amazing FUN in California. We all met up in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1989 and did Europe for 10 days. R.J. was always up for some excitement. He made several trips to Lexington, Ky. after I moved in 2011. And betting on the football games, Over/under & spread. We did that for years. I will always miss the OU/Spread betting with the football seasons.
Being born and returning to the Heavens on the same day! ODDs. 900 in 2.5 million.
Odds: .00036..! And R.J. would have placed a bet on that! At least a Win, Place, Show! AND, R.J. would have won his final bet. R.J., Now is exactly where he wants to be.. FREE. We All Love You R.J. !! We’ll all catch up in Eternity Brother.
A memorial service for R.J. will be held Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 10:00 AM at Palm Eastern Mortuary, 7600 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89123, followed by a committal ceremony.
R.J. did his time in the U.S. Military. He was a Marine MP and served honorably as a corporal E-3 from 12, May 1969 to 11 May 1971. He also spent time in the Reserves till 1975. He earned his National Defense Service Medal and Rifle Sharpshooters Badge.
When he left the Marine Corps, he moved around for a few years landing in Long Beach CA, Denver Colorado and eventually found his way to Las Vegas Nevada.
He settled in Las Vegas making friends, playing pool, playing golf, and making sports bets which he became very good at over the years.
He finally landed in the insurance business like his father before him. He was a successful Insurance broker for many years and was considered by many to be one of the largest Individual producers in the valley.
Once his business reached a certain level of success, he embarked on what would become his trademark or the endeavor that would forever define his life. (Thursday Golf)
He initially started with three other players Gary Baker, John Cerio, Eric Almassey, and himself. He started it as Tuesday Golf, but it was moved to Thursday.
For the next 38 years RJ, now known as the “Governor” would round up 20-40 players every Thursday. He would listen to their stories and excuses and wishes to be moved or accommodated and he made the line up work every Thursday. This was no small task.
He never failed to take the lead. He also planned and organized many out-of-town Golf Tournaments.
The ones in August in Mesquite Nevada were legendary in the 115+ heat.
R.J. never let us down, he always stepped up. He was the listener, always the peacemaker (One way or another)
You will be missed, my friend. See you on the nineteenth hole sometime in the future. Have a cold one ready for me when I get there.
Sincerely,
Your friend
Mark Dennis
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