John Eldon Miller (1929 - 2014)

Born 2 Mar 1929 in Melbourne, Izard County, Arkansas, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Ruby Lenora (Robertson) Miller — married 5 Nov 1949 in Arkansas, United States

Died 18 Jun 2014 at age 85 in Melbourne, Izard County, Arkansas, United States

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Biography

John Miller was from Melbourne.

John Miller is Notable.

John Eldon Miller was born on 2 March 1929 in Melbourne, Arkansas. He was the son of Green Miller and Annie Gray.

He was married to Ruby Lenora Robertson (1932-2022) in 1949. His children are still living.

Graduating from Arkansas State College in Jonesboro in 1949, he became an influential Melbourne businessman. He was a Democrat that served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1959 to 1998. He resigned only when new instituted term limit policies required it. ^[1]

He passed away at his home on 18 June 2014 and is buried at the Melbourne Cemetery in Melbourne, Arkansas. ^[2]

Obituary

John Eldon Miller, 85, of Melbourne, passed away June 18, 2014, at his home, surrounded by his family. Born in Melbourne, Arkansas, March 2, 1929, to Green H. Miller and Annie Gray Miller, he was a resident of Izard County for 84 of his 85 years. He married Ruby Lenora Robertson on Nov. 5, 1949. She survives him along with their three children: David E. Miller and wife, Janett, of Melbourne, Martha Miller of Little Rock, and Naomi Roper of Melbourne.

Those who predeceased him are his parents, step father Walter Smith, brothers Lowell, Robert, Tom, JC, Charles, GH Jr., and sisters Zada and Naomi.

He received his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Arkansas State University in 1949 and had plans to become a doctor, but his year long bout with rheumatic fever during his teen years disqualified him from attending medical school. After a brief period of working in the family retail business, he served four year as Izard County Clerk. He then went to work for Reynolds Metal Co. in Saline County, after which he returned home and opened an insurance agency, title abstract business, real estate brokerage, and began raising chickens.

In 1958, he was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives and began his 40 years of service in 1959, holding many positions including Chair of Joint Budget Committee, Chair of House Revenue and Tax, and Speaker of the House. He also served on numerous boards including, OBU, Williams Baptist, Easter Seals, WRPDD.

His greatest joy was helping others. He was active in church service as Sunday School teacher, song leader, Deacon, lay minister, and was a lifelong member of Melbourne First Baptist Church.

Visitation will be Friday, June 20 from 5:00 pm until 7:30 pm at the John E. Miller Auditorium at Ozarka College in Melbourne. Funeral service will be Saturday, June 21 at 10:00 am at the Melbourne First Baptist Church. Memorials may be made to Miracle Village International through First Baptist Church of Melbourne, P.O. Box 335, Melbourne, AR 72556.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Encyclopedia of Arkansas, John E. Miller
2. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images, memorial page for John Eldon Miller (2 Mar 1929–18 Jun 2014), Find A Grave: Memorial #131568778, citing Melbourne Cemetery, Melbourne, Izard County, Arkansas, USA ; Maintained by Genafer Cantrell Foree (contributor 47420405) .
3. ↑ Obituary courtesy Eddie's Family Funeral Home

See also:

• McCollum, Betty Guthrie, Down Memory Lane IX, Carroll Hayden publisher, 2009, pp. 285-299. John Eldon Miller interview.
• Wikipedia:John_E._Miller_(Arkansas_politician)