OBIT: Norman E. MILLER, 1946, Meyersdale, Somerset County, PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library. Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/ ________________________________________________ NORMAN E. MILLER Meyersdale Mourns the Passing of It's Oldest Retired Businessman and Active Churchman - Norman E. Miller Meyersdale banks, stores and other business places were closed from 1 till 3 o'clock last Tuesday afternoon in respect and reverence for Meyersdale's oldest and well beloved retired businessman and churchman, Norman E. Miller, who passed away at 8:30 Saturday evening, Feb. 16 at the great age of 92 years, 2 months and 21 days. The passing of Mr. Miller who was prominently identified with the business, social and religious life of the Meyersdale community for fully three score years and ten, was tragic. Living retired from business cares the last few years at his home on Meyers Ave., he pursued the even tenor of his way by taking daily walks and doing various chores about his home until within two days of his demise. Fell Down Steps He lived alone, since the death of his wife six years ago, with his faithful housekeeper, Miss Lottie Forney, a niece of the late Mrs. Miller, who came to live with her uncle and aunt many years ago. Last Thursday evening, at the insistance of Mr. Miller, Miss Forney attended a meeting of the Main Street Brethren Church which lasted until after 10 p.m., while Mr. Miller remained at home alone. It was a cold stormy night with snow squalls piling up drifts around the house. About 10 o'clock, before Miss Forney returned from the church, the aged man went out to sweep the drifted snow off his front porch and steps. While he was doing so, he evidently slipped and fell down the steps, landing prostrate on the cement walk leading from the porch steps to the street. Some time after 10 o'clock, neighbors heard his cries for help, and when they went to his rescue they found him lying on the walk at the bottom of the steps in a dazed condition and helpless from injuries sustained. A broom lying beside him indicated what he had been doing when disaster overtook him. Shoulder and Hip Crushed The rescuers found him very seriously injured and carried him into the house and telephoned for a doctor and an ambulance to take him to the Hazel McGilvery Hospital. He was unconscious and his heart had almost ceased beating when he was admitted to the hospital. Dr. Glass administered a heart stimulant which kept his blood circulating, but he remained unconscious except for a very few lucid intervals until he passed away nearly 48 hours later. An x-ray examination showed that his left shoulder and left hip were badly crushed. He was placed in a plaster cast, Saturday noon, but his aged broken body proved to be beyond repair. It was after midnight Thursday night before word could be gotten to Mr. Miller's only son, Robert G. Miller, who has been employed in Meadville, Pa., the last few years. The son could not get train connections to bring him to Meyersdale sooner than 5 p.m. Friday. Upon arrival he went immediately to the hospital to see his father, who recovered consciousness for a few minutes when his son spoke to him. The brightening of his face showed that he recognized his son. He mumbled a few words of greeting and hummed a few lines of a favorite hymn, then lapsed into a coma again from which he failed to recover, although the last spark of life did not leave his body until 8:30 Saturday evening. Laid to Rest His body was prepared for burial by W. C. Price & son and lay in state at his home on Monday evening and until 1 o'clock p.m. Tuesday, when it was taken to the Main Street Brethren Church where it was viewed by many friends until 2 o'clock when funeral services were held in the church, which were largely attended and were a just tribute to him as the last surviving charter member of the Main Street congregation, which he helped to found and of which he was a faithful member and official for 65 years. He was the church treasurer the greater part of that time. The funeral rites were conducted by the pastor, Rev. Gerald Polman, assisted by the former pastor, Rev. Kenneth B. Ashman, recently removed to Wooster, Ohio, who came to pay a parting tribute to the man who was a living example to the younger members of the congregation for more than three score years, in point of regular church attendance and Christian living. Interment was made in the family plot in Union Cemetery, following the church services. The pallbearers were John Smearman, John I. Meyers, Walter Rickard, Howard Phillips, Wm. P. Diveley and Floyd Keefer. A heavy snowfall which prevailed all of Thursday afternoon prevented many from going to the cemetery for the burial rites, who otherwise would have gone. Surviving Relatives Surviving relatives of Mr. Miller are the son, Robert G. Miller, above mentioned, two grandsons, W. Cedric and Paul E. Miller, and one granddaughter, Mary Fanetta Miller, and four great-grandchildren, a son and daughter of each of the two grandsons. Robert G. Miller and wife have their home in Meyersdale, but are temporarily living in Meadville, Pa., where he is employed, as is also Paul E. Miller, whose wife and children are living in Meyersdale, as are also the wife and children of Cedric Miller, who is employed in Detroit. The granddaughter, Mary Fanetta, is married and living in New York. All of the living descendants of the aged man were present at his funeral. One son died in his boyhood. Successful Merchant and Banker Norman E. Miller was born Nov. 25, 1853, a son of Ephriam D. Miller, who was the village merchant and postmaster of Summit Mills for more than half a century. Norman got his first experience in merchandising in his father's store. At the age of 19 he started in business for himself with a small store at Keystone Mines, but soon moved to Meyersdale where he formed a partnership with the late J. T. Shipley in the sale of farm implements and machinery in which both were very successful. After a few years the partnership was dissolved; Mr. Shipley then engaging in the general hardware business by himself, while Mr. Miller gave up the implement business to establish a men's furnishing store. After a few years at that, he took as a junior partner George W. Collins. The new firm flourished and expanded until it grew into the Miller & Collins Department Store, which for many years was one of the largest and most prosperous merchantile establishments in Somerset County. In 1927 Mr. Collins sold his half interest in the department store to his partner and retired. Mr. Miller then took his son into partnership, under the firm name of N. E. Miller & Son. This partnership existed until October 1939 when Miller & Son sold out to Alexander Stephens who has continued the business under the Miller name ever since. In 1905 Mr. Miller with a few associates established the Second National Bank of Meyersdale, of which he was president for many years, and which developed into one of the most prosperous banks in the county. Faithful to the End He finally retired from both the merchantile and banking business owing to old age, but there is one thing he never gave up and that was his interest in the church. Every Sunday up to and including the last Sunday of his life, found him in Sunday school and in his accustomed pew in the Main Street Brethren Church to which he remained faithful until his Heavenly Father called him unto Himself. Norman E. Miller always lived a clean, temperate and serene life and in utmost peace with his fellowmen. Never was he known to be guilty of an overt act, or to speak an unkind word to any living soul. Meyersdale Republican, February 21, 1946