Born March 27, 1951, to Bernice and John Miller, Scott was the first born and blazed his own trail through his life leaving little opportunity for his three younger siblings Kim, Craig and Victor, to outdo him.
As many know, Scott professed to be “Detroit Tough” and even had a tattoo on his forearm proclaiming he was, this despite growing-up in Southfield, Michigan, a suburb outside Detroit. He was a good left-handed baseball pitcher and an outstanding basketball player not only in his own mind but even in the opinion of many others. Attending Southfield High School, he was a high-scoring basketball player for one the state’s top basketball programs. As he would proudly admit to anyone who asked, his idea of defense was simple – outscore your opposing player.
Receiving recruiting interest from many colleges, he earned a basketball scholarship to Ferris State University in Michigan. He managed to start on the freshman team (until 1972 freshmen were by NCAA rules were not eligible to play on the varsity) and claimed they soundly beat the varsity in scrimmages. His collegiate basketball career came to an end due to, take your pick, a lack of academic progress and/or dating the coach’s daughter. He eventually graduated from Ferris but did so just one semester ahead of his brother Craig who started college four years after him. He had no problem expressing his resentment for being pushed out of his college after 7 1/2 years by his younger sibling’s pending graduation. He was determined to again be the first of the Millers to do something.
His work career featured all sorts of illustrious jobs like being a non-newspaper delivery boy, a laborer for the Southfield Highway Department, emptying septic tanks and porta toilets, selling bolts and screws to hardware stores in the Michigan tri-state area.
In 1977 the father of a girl he was dating, who was an executive for the Ford Motor Company, helped him secure a position with Ford Credit in Denver. Not long after moving to Colorado, Scott realized his help probably wasn’t done to help launch his career but more likely to relocate him out of state and help insure a breakup of the couple.
He went on to be successful in technology sales for several companies, including Oracle where he started in sales and achieved great success and retired after serving as a Vice President of Regional Sales of the Western Division. He also was proud that Oracle hired him three different times, something he boasted was extremely unusual for the company.
While in Denver, Scott fell in love with the mountains and in particular beautiful Grand Lake, Colorado, a place where he and his wife would make a second home and eventually live full time. While in Grand Lake, he met Christie Ann Chapman, a free-spirited musician who he would marry in October 1982. Scott and Christie have one daughter, Lindsey. She was his everything. He taught her to be compassionate, love the outdoors, and to be business and street smart. In 2017, Lindsey and husband Rich welcomed their daughter, Eberley. In that instant, Lindsey’s rank fell to number 2 and Scott’s granddaughter Ebby was number 1. He was simply known as G by Ebby and he loved spending time with her. She instantly made him glow with love.
Scott was extremely confident, independent and strong willed. He was usually determined to do things his way – okay, okay, make that most times - all right all the time! He had an enormous heart and a wonderful sense of humor, and he was not above laughing at himself. Always one to dress to impress, he loved to be seen as a “sharp dressed man” and who can forget his red suit and shoes that were purchased in New Orleans. His wardrobe of Hawaiian shirts from Tommy Bahama and others was colorful and extensive.
As his family and many friends can attest, he was loyal and dependable, and he wasn’t shy to share an opinion which of course was always the correct one! You knew if Scott was your friend that he had your back 100 percent. He was also extremely generous, and loved socializing and mentoring younger workers, family or anyone who wanted it. He loved to share his real-life experiences and business expertise.
He loved playing sports, especially basketball and softball. Attending and watching sporting events was a favorite pastime and he attended over 25-plus NCAA Final Fours with his two brothers and each one holds some humorous happenings. He would be likely to let you know how he would have dominated whoever the college or professional athlete you were watching perform. He also enjoyed the outdoors, snowmobiling and especially boating in Grand Lake and Florida. And of course, he was always up to go fishing.
He loved classic cars and spent hours refurbishing a 1967 red convertible Cadillac Coupe DeVille and having a 1955 Thunderbird rebuilt and customized from the tires up. Sadly, he didn’t get to see the finished Tbird, but he did get a short ride in it and his ear-to-ear smile as the 500+ horsepower classic car roared him away was unforgettable.
He enjoyed gardening around his home in Florida and especially loved nurturing his orchids. He was a dog man too and always had an adorable and faithful golden retriever at his side.
Most of all, he will be remembered for the love of life he shared with his family and friends. He loved each of them and was never afraid to tell them so. He battled his cancer with optimism, strength, determination and dignity. He will be missed dearly.
Scott was preceded in death by both of his parents, John and Bernice, and he is survived by his spouse of 40 years Christie (Chapman) Miller; his daughter Lindsey and her husband Rich Morrow; his granddaughter, Eberley; His siblings Kim (Mark Trombley), Craig (Liz), Victor (Kim), as well as an Uncle Victor and Aunt Diane Hahn. Also surviving are 12 nieces and nephews, Amanda Ruch and Robin Brendel; Mitchell, Libby and Anna Miller; Brittany, Sierra, Sydney and Abby Miller; and Kiana, Valerie and Kormick Chapman, and great nephews/nieces, Barrett, Samual, William Ruch, and Sophia Miller.
A celebration of life, which of course Scott planned himself, will occur on Friday, June 23, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at the Lakewood Country Club (6800 W. 10th Avenue, Lakewood, CO 80214). In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Granby Recreation
Department, PO Box 440, Granby, CO 80466. Please make the check payable to Granby Recreation Department. Memo: Scott Miller Sports Scholarship.
If you would like to send the family a card or any pictures of Scott, please send to Lindsey Morrow PO Box 37 Granby, CO 80446.
For any other details please feel free to reach out to Lindsey at 720.530.1066 or [email protected]
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