Charles Miller Jr.

Charles Miller, Jr. was born to Amelia Jackson and Charles Miller in Little Rock, Arkansas on September 20, 1930. He grew up, during his elementary years, in Brownsville, Texas, before he moved into his father’s home, in St. Louis, Missouri, where he attended high school before leaving to join the Army. He remained in the Army for two years before transferring to the Air Force. He found his true love of music while in the Air Force and joined the Air Force Honor Band as a saxophonist. His talents in the Air Force Honor Band provided him to opportunity to travel the world. He played music in such countries as Germany and Japan in addition to several states in the United States, such as Alaska, Mississippi, Washington, DC and ending his tour in Sunnymead, CA (now known as Moreno Valley). It was in Washington, DC where he met the love of his life, Joan Miller. They quickly wed and made the selfless decision to adopt two children, Jerome and Brigette, and raised them as their own, through the good times and more importantly, more challenging times. Charles (or Chuck as he was affectionately known), was a self-starter. Without a great deal of formal education and a significant amount of racism, he taught himself to play the saxophone and speak three different languages (Spanish, German and Japanese) in addition to English. Anyone who truly knew Chuck, knew how much he loved his “water.” It came in the names of Milwaukee Best, Natural Light and Budweiser! He also loved teaching his kids to ride a bike, fish and make basic repairs on a car. He was stern but proud, quiet but watching, thrifty but giving. Charles was preceded in death by both parents, his loving wife, his older sister Millie Gaither, and sole niece, Millicent Sims. On July 11, 2021, he was called home to join those that are waiting, with open arms. He left to mourn, his children Jerome Miller, Brigette Tillman (Rosco), and grandchildren, Patrick Hawthorne and Sierra Miller. He will definitely be missed. And, as he would always say, “Keep on living.”