Breckinridge County KyArchives Obituaries.....Miller, Jr., Orville April 2009
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Dana Brown http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00005.html#0001067 December 5, 2010, 4:57 pm

Trent-Dowell Funeral Home
Orville Miller, Jr. was born in Hardinsburg, Kentucky on September 12, 1921 to 
parents Mamie Hickerson and Orville Miller, Sr. (aka Papi).  He had two (2) 
younger sisters: Bernice Lee Miller Rodgerson, who survives him, and Mary 
Wallace Miller Beerup, deceased.

When Orville was a young child, his family moved to Cloverport, Kentucky.  As 
a kid and a youth in Cloverport, Orville liked to roam the woods around his 
grandfather’s farm with his cousin Dick Hickerson and hop on freight trains 
when they came through town.  With his friends, he would also swim the Ohio 
River from the Kentucky side to the Indiana side and back.

Orville tried to join earlier at age 16 but had to wait until he turned 18.  
He joined after graduating from Frederick Frays High School.  His six (6) 
years in the Navy were during World War II.  He was a radio man and he 
attended flight school.  He was stationed in Panama and assigned to the radio 
and teletype when he received a historic message which he immediately 
delivered to his commander: “Pearl Harbor has been bombed.  This is not a 
drill.  Repeat: Pearl Harbor has been bombed.”

Orville met Rosaura Martin (aka Rose) when he was sent to Puerto Rico in 
1942.  They were engaged for two (2) years and married in Oklahoma City on 
December 22, 1944.  Orville left the Navy in 1945 when he was in Jacksonville, 
FL.

While in Jacksonville, his two (2) sons were born – Orville Miller, III in 
November 1945, and Wallace Scott Miller in June 1947.  Orville also received 
his commercial pilot’s license in Jacksonville from the Department of Commerce 
Civil Aeronautics Administration in October 1947.

Shortly afterwards, Orville and Rose moved to Puerto Rico in early 1948.  
There Orville began an illustrious 30-year career with the Federal Aviation 
Administration as an Assistant Chief for the International Flight Service 
Station in Isla Verde.  Orville loved to fly.  While working full-time, he 
also volunteered with the Civil Air Patrol, taking ROTC cadets to the nearby, 
smaller Caribbean islands.  The Millers also welcomed the arrival of their 
most treasured daughter Janice Lee, born on June 11, 1953.

Upon his retirement in June 1977, the Millers moved back to Hardinsburg, 
Kentucky to take care of Orville’s elderly parents.  They built a home on 
quite a large spread of land next to Papi and Mamie Miller.  Orville and Rose 
spent 25 years in Hardinsburg, during which they helped raise two (2) of their 
grandchildren, Karl and Mark Miller.  They also provided infinite 
opportunities for all their family and friends to enjoy life on the farm, 
including experiencing many of Orville’s famous nighttime bonfires as well as 
a variety of fun-mobile rides on their go-cart and four-wheeler.

Starting in the mid-80s, the Millers took annual trips to California to visit 
Janice and her family.  They came over always during the year-end holidays and 
frequently a second time during spring or summer, establishing strong west 
coast friends and connections along the way.  Right before Christmas time, 
Janice would often drive them to Las Vegas, Nevada to celebrate their 
anniversary.  During a trip in March of 2005, Janice planned a special trip to 
the Grand Canyon, fulfilling one of Orville’s lifelong dreams.

Shortly after his 80th birthday, the Millers moved to South Orange County in 
January 2002 to be close to Janice and the health facilities in the Saddleback 
Valley.  They accessed many of Laguna Woods’ amenities, including dancing on 
Friday nights at Clubhouse 1 and, membership to the American Legion Post 257.

Orville was an avid runner and exercise fanatic, running on average three (3) 
miles pretty much until age 75.  At Laguna Woods, he was very active swimming, 
walking and going to the gym.  A healthy lifestyle served him well, though he 
never deprived himself of any dessert – particularly all things chocolate – 
and good Cuban cigars.   Orville was a voracious reader and he was always 
thrilled to go to the movies, after most of which he would most graciously 
say “That was a wonderful movie, one of the best I’ve ever seen.”

Orville Miller, Jr. was a kind and open-hearted, old-fashioned gentleman.  He 
is survived by his sister Bernice; his wife Rose; his children Orville, III, 
Wally, Janice, and his dear Mercedes Julian and Ritchie Borras; nine (9) 
grandchildren plus his dear Rafael Rivera; 12 great grandchildren; and 
numerous friends throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2009 at 11AM CDT at New 
Bethel Baptist Church with Rev. Keith Williams officiating. Burial will be in 
the church cemetery.

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