Robert W. Miller, My Dad

I finally have time to think about what I want to say about my sweet dad who passed away last week. Those of you who knew him knew how faithful, stalwart and true he was when it came to his testimony of Christ and the gospel. He gave me the gift of faith through his example and all the little things he did every day. He spent time with me, he taught me, he took one of his children on a date every week, we had family home evening and he woke us every morning to read scriptures by playing "Old Susannah," on the Harmonica. Although he fought many illnesses throughout his life, you would never have known. He was a well, sick person. He lived life like he was doing great. We thought he would only live until he was 40, so 83 was pretty good. He and my mom had a romance for the books. They were smitten until the end. I personally felt like that is why he stayed around so long. I always admired my dad and quoted him for years. I still do. He was wise and intelligent, but he always trusted God over his own wisdom. Since he was little he wanted to be a farmer and have animals. He hitchhiked to BYU and ended up being a dentist with a hobby farm instead. He especially loved chickens and growing watermelons. One family reunion he had about 20 melons ready to be opened. We could have one all to ourselves. He was always learning and coming up with some exciting creation, whether it was painting pictures of my mom, building a greenhouse, designing a donkey rocking horse or making a treasure chest for a child with original carvings. In the rest home, he was growing tomatoes and still looking for people to serve. As the greeter for church, people just loved to talk to him. I love and adore my dad with all of his strengths and weaknesses. He lived life to it's fullest. I am proud to be his daughter and so thankful that God gave me such an incredible dad. Mary Miller Jones

My wonderful grandpa passed away this morning after a few years of failing health. I looked up to him in every way. He was talented, sharp, humble, very cool and strong. He was a great dancer and an excellent artist. It was such a treat when he would sketch us our portrait. When he visited, he would take us on individual grandkid dates, and he’d let me show him all of my tricks. He loved God, he loved my grandma, and he loved his family. He was the very best of men.

A couple weeks ago we were able to visit him and my grandma. I was grateful for that visit then, but I’m so grateful now. LaMar even gave some of the best smiles he has ever given during that visit. I’ll treasure this happy photo always.

Til we meet again, Grandpa Miller. I love you so so much. ❤️

Megan’s wonderful father, Robert Miller passed away this week being 83 years old and married to Janet Miller for 60 years. He was a tremendous father, valiant in his faith and his service to others. Rob was a great example to me of a man that was solid in his convictions, always creating something cool and deeply loved Megan’s mother. 

When Megan and I were first married and living in California, we would drive to Dos Palos on the weekends often and visit her parents. His farm was full of fruit, art projects (life-sized, carved out of a tree Pete’s Dragon), homemade forts, zip lines, chickens and his free-roaming peacock, Warren Beatty. 

I enjoyed being with and helping him on the farm w various projects during these weekends. Conversations were enjoyable and I appreciated his candor, opinions, and perspective. He had many opinions and enjoyed a good debate. 🙂

Of the many things that he and I spoke about, the single thing that he shared with me that has made a lasting impact on me was this...”My life has been great amidst all of my many trials because I have followed the smartest being in the universe. Heavenly Father made more out of my life than I could have ever made for myself”. He loved God and showed it in his actions! 

Thank you, Dad, for sharing your talents, being a true friend to me and loving those around you. You are deeply loved and missed! Travis Liston

• One of my greatest art inspirations passed away last week—my Grandpa. He was so talented and creative! 

  
  

  When he’d come visit, he’d have me and my siblings sit for individual portraits. These are treasures! 

  One of my favorite things to do when he visited was to have an art lesson. It was so special to spend time with him and learn from the master (pretty much Da Vinci in my eyes.) He let me use his nice pastels and watercolors. 

  The second picture is when he taught me how to paint a sunset at age 8. He taught me how to fade the warm colors into the blue sky and how the shapes in front of the sunset were black silhouettes. I was so proud to sign my name to it! But looking back now, I can see his swatches of color in the top corner and his pencil drawing underneath the black sharpie that I traced. 

  Such a special Grandpa. Kathryn Christensen Mitchell

 

My Grandpa Miller passed away January 12, 2019. He was an incredible artist and was consistently learning and creating! He loved the Lord and always sought to serve Him. He and my grandma had (in their words) “the greatest love affair of all time” and their love set a great example for me! He was the smartest and kindest and I’ll forever treasure all my memories with him. It was bittersweet to be able to gather with family to celebrate his life. I love this part from the life history he wrote.. “I'm just a simple farm boy at heart. I enjoy the same things that caught my interest when I was a kid on the farm. My greatest joy in life has been being a husband to my honey, Janet, and father to my children. Katelyn Jones Sheanshang

  Dad passed peacefully this morning. I'm so blessed to have such loving parents.  I love my eternal family.  Laurie

 Rob Miller, the town dentist, hobby farmer, aspiring artist and awesome father of 10.

The Gang's all Here!

In July 2014 after one year of college Katelyn left on her mission to the New York, Rochester Mission. She was gone for two Christmases.  Anna and Kate saw each other for a few hours before Annalisa went on her mission February 2016 to California, Carlsbad Mission.   That fall in September Kyle left for his mission to Tampico, Mexico.  Two more Christmases passed.  When Kyle came home he saw Anna for a few hours and then she left for a study abroad to Jereuselum for a semester.

on December 20th Kate and Mitchell picked her up at the airport and brought her home.  Now the gang is all here!!  This is the first time in four years that we have had all of our kids home for Christmas.   

I took this first picture right when Anna got home.  They are so happy to see each other!  

Christmas Eve with all of our children including Mitchell, Kate's husband

Christmas pajama picture

 

You know we had to throw in a freezing family picture!

The Hail Storm

We had a hail storm.  this was not like any other hailstorm that I have witnessed.  I dropped  Natalie off at a friends house in the Cottages.  On the way home I started hearing pounding on the top of my car.  It sounded like baseballs were hitting really hard, bam, bam, bam.  I expected there to be big dents on the top of the car but I couldn't see them at the time. The hailstones were misshapen and about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter.   We watched from the garage at the end.  The damage was really surprising.  It was like the eye of the storm went right through our neighborhood and destroyed every house.  We had to replace our roof, our siding, a door, some windows, and our garage door.  The car I was driving had damage as well, but not as big as I expected.  It was the strangest phenomenon since the Eclipse.  It was like you had no control and it seemed unreal especially after the storm, driving through the neighborhood and seeing damage on every house.

This was a house in our ward. 

We all had to have patience on getting things fixed.  Most people put duck tape on the holes in case it rained while they waited.  We all had an appraiser come immediately, but fixing our house took a lot longer.
It happened April 7, but we didn't get our siding until the end of the summer.  Everything is fixed or replaced now except our Garage door and it is October.

Back to School Dinner

 Back to School Dinner

is one of the kid's favorite traditions.  Normally we choose a theme and try to do it before school starts or the first day of school.  This year we did it during Conference so that Mitchell and Katelyn could be there.  We decided that once our kids are married they get to help host.  It's really nice because then we don't have to make fools of ourselves alone!  The room was transformed into a 50's Diner by Jeff with the cool black and white floor.  

 

We slicked Kyle's hair and gave the girls bandannas and served soda pop.   We tried to use 50's lingo and served, hamburgers, hotdogs, fries, and milkshakes.  

We had a bubble blowing contest while they waited to be served with a

A little entertainment.
Hula hooping was a success for a few, Kristen and Olivia.  The rest did pretty well in the middle with Jeff and me at the bottom of the pack.  I don't even know when I forgot how to do it, but I did.  

 
   Last but not least Elvis gave us a surprise visit at the end.