Willie Frank Miller Sr. – son of the late T.J. Miller Sr. and Melissia Fish Miller, was born in Marshallville, Georgia on November 12, 1931. He married his childhood sweetheart, Geneva Smith Miller July 6, 1952 in Marshallville, Georgia. He was looking forward to celebrating their 64th wedding anniversary, just 6 days away from his passing.
Willie, or “Man”, affectionately known to his siblings, was the middle son and third born of six children – three boys and three girls. His mother passed away when he was at the tender age of six years old. His father never remarried, and Willie’s eldest sister and second born Annie Ruth, became his mother figure, helping their dad raise the younger siblings.
In the year 1955, Willie moved his family from Ohio to Georgia before settling in the mile-high state of Colorado with his wife and two daughters, eldest, Melissia Pam Miller, and Carolyn Ann Miller. He lived in Denver, Colorado for the majority of 60 years, where he and his wife had two more children, Joyce Marie Miller and Willie Frank Miller Jr. For a brief moment Willie ran a little diner out of his home, because he Loved his wife’s cooking. He wanted to share Geneva’s culinary skills with everybody. However, it was too much for a couple with four children to handle, so he decided to become a star musician in a band, playing the horn or piano. He told his wife, he wanted to have “all the ladies falling down around him at his feet.” For some reason, he could not get his wife on board with that one. So, playing it safe, he decided to join the Denver City Sanitation Department. From there he became a Stapleton Airport police officer before transferring to the Denver Sheriff's Department. He was with the department for about 30 years before deciding, in 1987, to accept an early retirement as Deputy Sheriff at the age of 55.
When he and Geneva retired, they moved to Phoenix, Arizona because of the nice hot weather with no snow, and became world travelers. They visited beautiful places like Hawaii (several times), Paris, and the Bahamas. They lived in Arizona for 2 years, then jumped over to Las Vegas, Nevada. Las Vegas had the amenities of an adult playground as well as Lake Mead, and with Willie being the avid fisherman he was, Lake Powell in Utah was just a hop, skip and a fishing pole away from Nevada. Lake Powell was his favorite fishing hole with the Stripped Bass, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, and Carp – living the dream and good eatin’. Furthermore, his close friend Melvin Jackson (who preceded him in death), a retired Detective from the Las Vegas Police Department and an avid fisherman as well, along with his wife Gladys who became close friends with Geneva, lived in Las Vegas.
Fourteen years later, in 2005, while on a trip to Colorado to preview property to invest in, Willie’s wife unexpectedly had emergency heart surgery and unavoidably, they had to remain in Colorado since she was in no condition to travel back to Las Vegas, Nevada. Willie decided to buy the property he previewed in Aurora, and in this home, he lived out the rest of his days here on earth.
In addition to his parents, his two brothers preceded him in death; T.J. “Buddy” Miller Jr. and David Miller Jones Sr., and a brother-in-law James Norris. Those who remain to treasure his memory are: his endearing wife, Geneva Miller; daughters Melissia Miller (with Hocine Djabella) of Lewisville, Texas and Paris, France respectively, Carolyn Miller (with William Neal) of Denver, Colorado, Joyce Miller of Las Vegas, Nevada, and his son Willie Miller Jr. (with Virginia Miller) of West Park, Florida; 3 sisters Annie Ruth Norris, Dorothy McCree (with John Henry), and Nettie Miller – all of Akron, Ohio; 2 sister-in-laws Nadine Larimore of Atlanta, Georgia and Christine “Teen” Rhump of Los Angeles, California; 9 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews, other relatives, extended family and friends.
His wife’s heartfelt, and closing words for Willie Frank Miller Sr.’s obituary are, “I like daddy”.
Arrangements under the direction of Olinger Hampden Mortuary & Cemetery, Denver, CO.
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