WWII veteran George G. Miller, 88, dies
Longtime Parkville resident George Griffith Miller Sr., a World War II Merchant Marine Veteran and polio and post-polio syndrome survivor, died at Good Samaritan Hospital Oct. 28. He was 88.
Born in Philadelphia in 1919, Miller and his siblings were raised by their father after their mother died. He worked at a series of jobs during the Great Depression to help support the family, developing a great resourcefulness and learning to make the best of his circumstances.
Miller moved to Baltimore for employment after completing tours of duty as a seaman in the Merchant Marines on Liberty and Victory ships that supplied allied forces on the European front during World War II. His decorations included the Merchant Marine Service Emblem with the Atlantic War Zone Bar and Mediterranean-Middle East War Zone Bar. His family says that Miller felt honored when President Ronald Reagan signed into law the belated granting of veteran status to the Merchant Marines.
After the service, Miller was employed by Glen L Martin.
He married Mary Weissner, a native of Baltimore, on April 9, 1949. Their first child followed a year later.
In 1953, Miller became one of the relative few adults who contracted Polio Myletis. After spending a long recovery period that included the use of an iron lung, he went on to raise his family which included three additional children.
He and his wife celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary in April of 2007.
From 1959 to 1962, Miller was a men’s clothing salesman for Hecht Co. and Hamburger’s. From 1962 until he retired on a medical disability in 1975, he worked in the men’s department of Montgomery Ward.
Miller courageously suffered through the “second wave of polio” known as post polio syndrome, and he is admired by his closest surviving family members as a husband and father with indomitable spirit and a zest for life in spite of the obstacles imposed from a disease that thankfully is no longer a threat to the industrialized world.
A 1939 graduate of State College High School, Miller was a life-long fan of the Philadelphia Phillies and Penn State Football Nittany Lions, Miller also enjoyed golf, little league baseball coaching, and gardening.
He was a 52-year member of Hiss United Methodist Church, where services were held this week.
Miller is survived by his wife; children George G. Miller Jr. and Peggy Gauss of Parkville, Robert K. Miller and Ronald C. Miller of Perry Hall; a brother, Frederick Miller of Shrewsbury, Pa.; 10 grandchildren; and, four great-grandchildren.
November 3rd, 2007 at 6:41 pm
To My Uncle George,
How I will miss seeing you, during my lifetime, for I speak for my brother and sisters, talking to in person, or even on the telephone. I will cherish the visit to your house back in the mid-1970’s, except I know that I will see you, Uncle Raymond, and my Mother (your sister), and my Aunt Ellen (your Sister), and my Father, Charles Cole Dorman, upstairs in our
Father’s Heaven. I keep Uncle Fred and his family, as well, as your family,
as well as all the other families, in my prayers!
Love,
Charles F. Dorman, along with my brother’s and sister’s.
May our Lord bless you, upon your departure and arrival to his Home! Amen!