Hilton Donald “Don” Miller, 65, died unexpectedly in his sleep while at home in Oak Harbor on Feb. 16, 2007, following a short but courageous battle with cancer.
Born to William Donald and Dorothy Louise (Long) Miller in Chattanooga, Tenn., on April 27, 1941, Don graduated from Chattanooga Valley High School in 1959 and soon after enlisted with the U.S. Marine Corps. One year later he became a member of the U.S. Navy, proudly serving for 26 years with VA-115 (his most enjoyed squadron where everything was “new”), VAH-123, VQ-1, HT-8, VAH-10, VA-52, NAS Atsugi, VAQ-129, VAQ-132, VA-196, and again with VAQ-129. He transferred to Fleet Reserve in 1986. At the completion of his naval career, he was an AEC (E-7) and proudly answered to the name “Chief” whenever greeted by his former shipmates.
Don loved the travel afforded him by the Navy, and even though he spent long stretches of time away from his wife Chieko, and two daughters Nancy and Susan, he relished the opportunity to see the world. He made 13 cruises and kept in touch via weekly letters that allowed the family to also experience the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the exotic places he was visiting. He often reminisced about the pizza and beer of Naples, Italy — the best he’d ever had! His daughters always looked forward to homecomings, not just because “Daddy” was coming home but also because he always managed to bring home the most interesting and unusual gifts from his travels — all packed into a single gigantic cardboard box.
Don’s willingness to go on cruise allowed his family to make Oak Harbor a stable home base and spared them the constant uprooting experienced by so many other military families. His wife understood keenly this sacrifice, and saw to it that the children wrote their father weekly while he was away. They tried not to worry him and instead, to allow him to fully enjoy his trips abroad. In his later years, he joked that if he could fit back into those small bunks under the carrier deck, he’d gladly serve his country again.
His family was able to accompany him once when he transferred to Atsugi, Japan from 1972-1976. Don loved to go on exploratory drives throughout the Japanese countryside, and with a wife as a built-in interpreter, two young girls as willing companions, and an ever-present family dog, he joyfully drove many miles in his red, square-back Volkswagen (with the steering wheel on the “wrong” side), often stopping along the way to cast a quick fly into a promising creek or river.
After his retirement in 1986 from the Navy — from which he received numerous Commendations, Citations, Medals and Awards — he worked as a project manager in the telecommunications industry, and supervised the installation of telephone systems up and down the West Coast. Once, while on a job in downtown Seattle, he witnessed a robbery of an old man. Having a legally concealed weapon, Don fired his gun into the concrete highway overpass above the thief’s head, which scared the burglar into dropping the man’s grocery bags. A nearby police officer reviewed Don’s weapons permit, then shook his hand and thanked him for his assistance. No further questions asked.
In 1989 Don purchased the Shell Gas Station in Oak Harbor and honed his skills as a car mechanic (which his daughters very much appreciated). In 1993 he was hired by Tramco, and then in 1998 by Boeing where he oversaw repairs to general aviation aircraft at Paine Field, Everett. He relished the ability to stop the line and order the repair personnel to “do the job right the first time.” Don ran every office as if he were still in charge as “Chief.”
As a father figure, he coached girls Little League softball from 1980-1984, and oversaw a number of championship teams, which is where daughter Susan became an accomplished player and grew to love the game (she still plays in California). Neighborhood children could often be found sitting at the edge of Don’s open garage door, set up on stools and whittling wood with penknives while he carved beautiful cedar walking sticks, some of which were sold in Seattle-area tourist shops. He fixed their flat bicycle tires and reset slipped chains, he taught kids how to whistle, and he didn’t flinch at giving unsolicited (but necessary) fatherly advice.
As a special treat to the kids, on a number of Halloweens Don draped the garage in black plastic and cobwebs, turned on a reel-to-reel tape of rattling chains and spooky sounds, and even rented a small casket — complete with skeleton inside — from the local playhouse. Surrounded by scary carved pumpkins, he hung his stuffed green flight suit from the ceiling and rigged it so he could control its arms to grab the kids as they came in to collect candy. One year Nancy dressed up as a warty-nosed witch and gladly chased kids down the street — all to Don’s and (most of) the children’s great delight.
Don took special pride in having taught his daughter Nancy to fly-fish, and they took a number oftrips together where he shared his favorite hobby. He began his love affair with the woods and water as a child in Georgia, and carried this with him until he died. To this day, the smell of primroses near the beach, and the moist, cool scent of dirt trails and evergreens remind her of him.
Don was a lifelong Republican and was a particular hit down at the local campaign office when he dressed his dog up in a “Support Bush” doggy sweater. He enjoyed watching movies and reading about war history, learning about his family’s genealogy with his sister, Patsy, and he listened unfailingly to his beloved big band music each Saturday night on KUOW’s “The Swing Years and Beyond.” In retirement he looked forward to his daily “coffee klatch” at the Navy Exchange, where all joked that they were busy solving the world’s problems (or at a minimum, the Navy Exchange’s).
He enjoyed most the camaraderie of friends; love of family, and of country. He was a proud man who often spoke his mind, yet also in his later years and with his recent illness, came to soften around the edges. Don will be missed immensely by his family and friends and his Navy sailors wish him “Fair winds and following seas, shipmate.”
Preceded in death by his father “Bill” Miller, he is survived by his wife of 39 years, Chieko Yamane Miller of Oak Harbor; two daughters and their spouses and children, Nancy and Bruce Herbert of Seattle, and Susan and Jim Woolard and their children, Summer and Cooper of Ramona, Calif.
Back East, Don is survived by his mother Louise Miller of Rossville, Ga.; one sister, Patsy (Chester) Pelfrey of Flintstone, Ga.; and three brothers, Ned (Sharon) Miller of Choctaw, Okla., Bruce (Joyce) Miller of Flintstone, Ga., and Tim (Kathy) Miller of Lookout Mountain, Tenn.; a dear cousin, Michael Morton of Buchanan, Ga., and numerous nieces and nephews. He was baptized on Feb. 1, 2007 at the Oak Harbor Church of Christ.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at the Oak Harbor Yacht Club on Thursday, Feb. 22 from 1 to 3 p.m. Following refreshments, at 2 p.m., guests will be invited to share stories and remembrances of Don, following which military honors will be presented under the auspices of the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Honor Guard.
Cremation was held this week, and private family inurnment will be at Maple Leaf Cemetery, Oak Harbor at a later date. Burley Funeral Chapel has been entrusted with arrangements.
