Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Miller, Donald Craig March 11, 2021 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Patricia Currigan currigan1932@comcast.net April 21, 2022, 5:18 pm Ionia Shopper's Guide-Saturday March 11, 2021 MILLER,Donald Craig Miller Born on September 14, 1952 and departed this earth too soon on March 11, 2021. He will be sorely missed by his wife Joella; his son Tony Miller, daughter in- law Billiejo Allen-Miller and Grandson Jordan Allen along with his goddaughter, Kate (John) Buckler. He married Joella Hesche on September 10 1977. He is survived by brothers Olen E.Miller,(wife Rita), Ralph E.Miller, (wife Sandy), along with nieces & nephews. He also leaves behind a multitude of friends. Dona was a burn survivor, injured as a child, and took the word survivor to the full limit hating the term burn victim. He was eternally grateful for his doctors, nurses, and his parents for helping him through the injury. He was an organ and tissue donor, both which are deeply important to him. He hopes to help other burn survivors recover from their injuries. He loved the Phoenix Society and was grateful to meet and know Amy Acton, chair of the Phoenix Society along with so many others from that part of his world. Dons first job at Dog & Suds in Lowell and always mentioned his boss and her expectations. He then went to work at Root Lowell, leaving there and starting at Attwood where he made many lifelong friends. He eventually retired from General Motors in Janesville, WI in 2008 after 30 years of service. After living in Brodhead WI for 17 years, he left behind his beloved train club, WI Garden Railway Society where he and Joella made many new friends. As was always true with Don, he and Joella made many friends while there living in Wisconsin. Moving back to Michigan, he slid easily back into his previous life, enjoying time spent with his childhood friends playing cards and camping and Wednesday outing with the guys. Don tried out a variety of retirement jobs, serving as custodian at Brodhead United Methodist Church & Lutheran Churches concurrently. Upon returning to Michigan, he worked for a time for his daughter in-law helping trim trees and harassing her. He was a parts delivery man for Showboat Auto and then a custodian at the Lowell United Methodist Church. Retirement jobs helped keep him busy, cleaning, tinkering, and fixing things, always having the need to stay busy and improve the items he worked on. When meeting someone his wife didn't recognize, she could generally tell what part of his life his friends called him. Childhood and high school friends called him either Donny or Duck. People that he worked with generally called him Don, really good friends called him Donny. This obituary cannot be closed out without mentioning trains. he loved them all- full sized and small models equally. He and Joella spent many days going to train club meetings, train shops, and train crossing to watch passing trains. He loved the trips to California and Colorado to visit other train enthusiasts and see their layouts and how they constructed their layouts, in 2019, he was thrilled to travel to Wyoming and Utah to see the rebuilt Big Boy engine, the 2014. He had planned that trip for 6 years. Don was always happy playing with G scale trains in Saranac. He had built 3 train layouts, improving each over the layout before. He loved running his trains and spent many contented hours running trains while contemplating how to improve the running and layout. Over the years Don had attended a variety of churches. He and Joella attended Genesis UMC on Snow Ave. Pastor Tommy Boutel will be helping the family with services. Don was happiest with friends and family, having a few beers and enjoying good food. His family asks that Memorial Donations be made to the Phoenix Society, 525 Ottawa Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI. 49503 in lieu of flowers. A Celebration of life will be held at 10:30 AM,Saturday, March 27, 2021 at the Steele Street Hall in Ionia, 115 S.Steele St.Ionia. Visitation will be from 2-4 and 6-8 PM Friday at the Lake Funeral Home in Ionia, MI with burial in Lowell at Oakwood Cemetery. Online Condolences can be made at www.lakefuneralhomes.com File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/m/miller43018nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 4.6 Kb