MT. STERLING, Ky. — Jack Miller, age 90, died Wednesday, July 20, 2011.
Born in Harlan, Ky., on October 5, 1920, he was the son of the late Charles Samuel and Nell Brown Miller. He lived his early years in Williamsburg, Ky., and in 1940, he led Williamsburg High School to the state basketball tournament and was a member of the All State/All Tournament team.
He entered World War II in 1941, and served his country in the U. S. Army until he was wounded during the Allied invasion of Normandy in July 1944. He received the Purple Heart for his combat actions.
On his return from the war he attended and graduated from Lincoln Memorial University, and received a masters degree from the University of Louisville. He then returned to Williamsburg where he had a successful career as a teacher,
coach, and superintendant of Williamsburg City Schools.
In June 1962 he became superintendant of Mt. Sterling City Schools. During his career in
education he was instrumental in guiding both school districts through difficult times in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
He continued to be a public servant after retiring from the school system in 1978. He was elected mayor of the city of Mt. Sterling and served as Kentucky Executive Director for Disabled American Veterans. He continued to volunteer in many capacities with the Veteran’s Administration until his passing.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Mt. Sterling and the Mt.
Sterling Rotary Club. He is also the subject of an oral history project on his life and career conducted by the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History at the University of Kentucky Libraries.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Mildred Massengill Miller.
Survivors include two daughters, Colette Miller Stevenson (Matthew)
of Annapolis, Md., Jackie Miller of Mt. Sterling; two sons, Sam Miller (Bo) of Mt. Sterling and Eddie Miller (Chris) of Huntington, W. Va.; five grandchildren, Ellen (Scott) Wells of Alaska, Casey (Chris) Miller
of Paducah, Ky., Katie (Shane) Pearson of Madison, Wisc., Erin (Kevin) Meehan of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Sarah (Ken) Kerr of San Diego, Calif.; 12 great-grandchildren; one sister, Doris (Ernest) Croley of Oak Ridge, Tenn.; two brother-in-laws, Buddy and Harold Massengill of Middlesboro; and six sister-in-laws, Emma Miller of Danville, Ky., Susan Miller of Adams Run, S.C.,Thelma Williams of Louisville, Ky., Susie (James) Pursiful, Helen Harris, and Wilma (Everett ) Mays, all of Middlesboro.
Visitation was held from 4-8 p.m. Sunday, July 24 at Taul Funeral Home of Mt. Sterling. Funeral services were held at the Taul Funeral Home Chapel at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 25, with the Rev. Rick Johnson officiating.
Burial followed in the Machpelah Cemetery.
Military rites were provided by Fort Knox Burial Detail, the Kentucky National Guard, who served as pallbearers, and American Legion Post #22.
Memorials are suggested to the Kentucky Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301.
Arrangements by Taul Funeral Home of Mt. Sterling, Ky.
