Obituary of Donald Stewart Miller

Donald S. Miller was born on Christmas Day, 1930 in the midst of the Great Depression. In 1937, on the doorstep of their Pelham, NY home, he often witnessed "payment being made" to his dentist father; a bushel of potatoes, apples, eggs, etc. Money was scarcePelham was already an established middle-class community while Long Island started developments such as Levittown. Donald walked a mile to school each day. He was an avid outdoorsman who remained physically fit his entire life he skied every week in the winter, rode endless miles on his bike, hiked, kayaked, played tennis until the very end of his life. He moved to Greenwich, CT when he was 16- years old and he graduated in the class of 1949. Rumors of war began to rumble. He served during the Korean War from 1951-1954, as did so many brave young men who gave their blood for their country. Donald's brother, Bill, got him transferred to be "brothers in France together." At that time in the military, brothers could be united in "non-combat zones." In 1957 he graduated from the University of CT with a BA in English. That same year he married the love of his life, Virginia Frost. This past Thanksgiving, they celebrated 53 years of marriage. In his blood, Donald was always a salesman, having started at age 14 as a paperboy. His first real job was with Sinclair Oil as a sales representative, followed by a job at Baxter Laboratories in NYC metro and the Bronx, where he sold blood products to area hospitals for five years. But, he never liked being told what to do. From 1970-1990 he was his own boss in his very successful business, Miller Tree Service, providing for his young family. After twenty challenging and fulfilling years, he sold his business and retired so he could do "what senior people do!" The fun began and Don and Ginny became "world travelers." He even completed his "bucket list," having cruised the Caribbean, river boating through Europe and even the Yangtze River, China. On one memorable Club Med Cancun vacation, Donald won an award for being "the most active for his age group!" As a "townie" for 52 years in Darien, Donald was a member of Darien Lions Club, Republican Town Committee, Appalachian Mountain Club, Audubon, Darien Boat Club, National Arborist Association, Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy, Noroton Manor Tennis, Darien Senior Men and Norwalk Hospital. He was a deacon at Calvary Baptist Church and a deacon and Stephen minister at Noroton Presbyterian Church and a great believer in Americares. Donald truly loved God, life and people. He was "a man for all seasons." And he was so very proud of his family. Daughter Lorrie is aspiring to reach her lifetime goal as an RN while son Stewart is a star salesman of Seattle and Spokane, working for Evergreen Tree Service. His three grand-girls made him ever so proud, all three getting scholarships in their respective colleges and one recently graduating cum laude. They all have aspiring futures ahead of them. Having lived a full life with no regrets, a lovely wife and a nature paradise on 85 Goodwives River Road in a cozy 1910 cottage, what more could anyone ask for? He always maintained his sense of humor and good attitude despite his cancer diagnosis. And he fought an incredible fight every step of the way. Donald left this world with no regrets, plenty of loyal friends and family and a loving God to welcome him home. Just weeks shy of reaching his 80th birthday, he became more comfortable with the realization that maybe it's time to go visit God's world, which is perfect. "To be absent from the body is to be present with God. 2Cor. 5:7-8" Amen Donald leaves behind his wife Ginny of 53 years, a daughter Lorrie Suchy and her husband with three beloved grand girls, Kirsten, Kara and Kimberly of Southbury, CT and a son, Stewart Miller and his wife of Spokane, WA. An older brother, William Miller of Greenwich and a sister June Wensley of East Longmeadow, MA, also survive him. A celebration of life service is planned at Noroton Presbyterian Church, 2011 Post Road, Darien, at 2 p.m. Saturday, December 18, 2010. In lieu of flowers, donations on behalf of Donald Miller should be made to Americares, 88 Hamilton Ave, Stamford, CT 06902. Funeral Home: Edward Lawrence Funeral Home 2119 Post Road Darien, CT USA 06820