Daniel James Miller

Dan was born May 15, 1960 in Mitchell, SD to Ralph Randall Miller and Gladys Lorene (aka Lorraine) (Wolthoff) Miller. At age 2 he was diagnosed at Mayo Clinic in Rochester with aortic stenosis, a heart defect. That never held him back from activities, although he was checked every year.

He grew up in Mitchell, where he began his lifelong love of music, and received recognition for his abilities throughout his school years. In high school, he also discovered a passion for acting and musical theater, as well as photography – all interests that he would pursue throughout his life. He graduated in 1978.

Dan graduated from Concordia College in Minnesota in 1982 with a bachelor’s in biology, and minors in chemistry and computer science. Dan went to live with his brother Gene in Rapid City, SD, who was in the Air Force. Dan was planning to go in the service as well, but the heart issues diagnosed when he was an infant were enough to keep him out. For the interim, he accepted a job as a portrait photographer in a local studio.

His first professional job was in Pierre, SD working for the State Department of Water Quality. His background in science and biology proved useful when it came to water testing.

He remained involved in theater with the Pierre Players community theater, performing in “Oklahoma,” “Anything Goes,” and the role of Motel the Tailor in “Fiddler on the Roof” in 1986.

He met Gretchen Pressnall backstage when they were both involved with a production of “The Man Who Came for Dinner,” Dan as the stage manager and Gretchen doing props. Gretchen was hesitant to take the budding friendship any further, until she discovered that “on his own free will, as a single man” he was attending Lutheran Memorial Church, and leading the youth choir. That was when she started taking a serious look at Dan Miller.

The couple were married June 14, 1986 at Pierre First United Methodist Church in Pierre, SD. After their wedding, they took the train to Montana to spend their honeymoon camping in Glacier National Park.

Gretchen got a job in Phoenix, AZ, and in August of that year the young couple packed up and moved. They joined Cross in the Desert United Methodist Church, where Dan was once again active with drama, the choir, and helping with the sound booth. He was lay leader for the church, and involved with more committees and small groups than he could remember.

In October 1987, Dan began working for the State of Arizona, where he worked until retiring nearly 29 years later.

The Millers were blessed with the birth of Phillip in 1992, and Sam in 1995. Despite Dan’s lifelong passion for the theater, he always said his favorite role was as a dad to his two kids.

Once he was retired and no longer had work to distract him, Dan loved to spend time on his neon green Toyota Celica convertible, cobbled together from two cars, circa 1996. He also began studying genealogy, scanning countless family photos and using Google facial recognition tools for names. And that’s not an easy job with a last name like Miller!

He was just getting back into photography, and had also drawn up plans to redo a corner of the back yard to be a garden with plants and a water feature designed to attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. He researched and picked out the best plants to include, and had developed a rough layout.

Dan is survived by his wife, Gretchen (Pressnall) Miller, and their two children, Phillip Quinn Miller and Samuel Andrew (né Amelia Marie) Miller, and his mother Gladys Bassett. He will also be missed by his siblings, Marilyn Forst of Mitchell, SD, Leslie “Les” (Pam) of of Imperial, MO, Eugene “Gene” (Mary – deceased) of Rapid City, SD, Cheryl Miller (Kenneth Puffpaff) of Mitchell, SD, and Michele Messervey (informally adopted sister) of Mitchell, SD. He is also survived by his step-siblings Brett Bassett of Mitchell, SD, Deb (Mike) Shannon of Mitchell, SD, Pam Armentor of Rockport, TX, Tim (Tammy) Bassett of Mitchell, SD, Chris Neugebauer of Mitchell, SD, and Toni (Chad) Weber of Dinock, SD. Also grieving his loss will be his beloved dog, Elton.

Preceding Dan in death was his father, Ralph Miller and step-father Robert Bassett.

A memorial service for Dan is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, October 7 at Cross in the Desert United Methodist Church, 12835 N. 32nd St., Phoenix, AZ 85032. Reception will follow.

A second service will be held in his hometown of Mitchell, SD during October, details to be determined.

Online condolences may be shared at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries . Shadow Mountain Mortuary is assisting the family with arrangements.

If you would like to remember Dan by making a donation in his name, please consider:

-American Heart Association (https://www.heart.org/)

-Mitchell High School Class of 1978 Scholarship Fund (Note Dan Miller Memorial/Class of 78 and it will be coded as such.) (Mitchell Community Scholarship Fund, 821 N. Capital St., SD 57301)

-An organ donor organization such as Donor Network of Arizona (https://www.dnaz.org/) or LifeSource (https://www.life-source.org/)

-Cross in the Desert United Methodist Church, https://crossinthedesert.org/ or to give directly, https://giving.ncsservices.org/app/giving/ncs-3906

There will be two celebration of life services:

-October 7, 2023, at 11 a.m. at Cross in the Desert United Methodist Church, 12835 N. 32nd St., Phoenix, AZ 85032

-October 22, 2023, at 2 p.m. at First Lutheran Church, 411 N. Duff St., Mitchell, SD 57301