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John E. Miller, 77

John Eugene Miller was born in St. Rose Hospital in Great Bend, Kansas, on November 3, 1947, to Barbara and John Gordon Miller.
John attended Rozel schools, graduating from Rozel High in 1966. He was a member of the football, basketball and track teams, as well as participated in the band. Track was his favorite sport in high school, and he followed it as a fan throughout his adult life, especially during the Olympic season.
Throughout his school years, John worked on the family farm, helping with the dairy cows, and performing many jobs. He also was active in building furniture, painting, and drawing, a pastime he would follow for decades. As an adult, he would occasionally frame his drawings to give to friends and family.
After high school, he attended Fort Hays State University, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Art. During this time, he and Twilla Smith married and started a family. Their two sons were born in Hays, in 1968 and 1971. He lost his father shortly after the birth of his second son.
After graduating college, John and his family moved to Mountain Home, Arkansas, and he worked as a carpenter with his father-in-law and an experienced carpenter, Jim Moore, who taught John the fundamentals of the trade, which he mastered and used for many years, professionally and personally.
In the 1970s in Arkansas, John went into construction for himself after his father-in-law stopped building, doing interiors, tilework, flooring, and cabinetry. In 1981, it became difficult to make a living in construction, and he moved his family to Texas, settling in Tarrant County, between Dallas and Fort Worth. John worked as an estimator and cabinet maker after the move.
In 1989, John and Twilla ended their marriage amicably, and John moved to Fort Worth. Around this time, John went to work for Lockheed in the facilities department, where he worked for 23 years until he retired.
In 1993, he bought a 1929 craftsman house in Oakhurst, a neighborhood in Fort Worth, just northeast of downtown. He repaired the house and fitted it with period furniture and even an antique gas stove. His house looked the part of the pre-war homes he would have seen during his childhood.
John returned to a love of motorcycles, which he had given up when he started a family. He started with a late 1970s model Harley-Davidson Sportster and re-learned how to ride and enjoy a motorcycle. After a few years, he upgraded to a Harley Dyna Wide-Glide, which he fitted out with saddle bags and he could be seen washing the bike on any given weekend.
His last Harley-Davidson was a Heritage Custom model, which he also tricked out with custom saddle bags, and a flagpole in the rear from which he flew Old Glory. He thoroughly enjoyed riding his bikes for years. He only gave up riding after an accident, from which he walked away without serious injury to himself or the bike. But he knew that his reflexes were slowing down and he wisely decided to focus on four-wheel vehicles, another great passion of his.
His post-motorcycle pride and joy was his 1954 Chevrolet Belair, which matched both the model and color of the one he had in high school and college. It was all original - no aftermarket parts - and he took it to shows and won trophies, which he kept. But the real value to him was meeting and trading stories with other old-car enthusiasts.
John also loved dogs and cats. Mollie, Buddy, and finally Rusty, were his constant companions, following him around the house when he was home, and meeting him at the door when he returned home. Rocket the cat was also a companion for over 15 years.
He also enjoyed researching Texas and Kansas history, as well as collecting information about his father and uncle's military service during World War II. When Lockheed started a program to recognize World War II veterans, John gathered information, photographs, and a copy of a letter from his grandfather to his father and uncle. He turned this into a lovely, framed work that honored the service of the brothers.
Sadly, John's last years were difficult. He suffered from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and in 2021, he had to move from his beloved house in Oakhurst to assisted living in East Texas, near to his oldest son.
But even in his reduced state of mobility and awareness, it was clear that the hard-working farm boy was still there and staff at his residence would often comment how John was nice, but strong-willed and went where he wanted. He was very active until the last year, when the physical manifestation of his illnesses compelled him to give up his walker and allow others to help him get around.
He passed peacefully in his sleep on November 14, 2024.
John will be remembered for taking care of his family and obligations and for his kindness to animals. He was preceded by his father and mother, and is survived by his two sons, Mickey and Cale; his granddaughter, Sloane; his daughter-in-law, Magnolia, and his sister, Marie Roberts.
Memorial services will be at 1 PM Friday, November 29, at the Roberts Family Funeral Home in Beloit.
Cremation has taken place and private family burial will take place at a later date.
Roberts Family Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
Condolences may be left at www.robertsfamilyfs.com

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Beloit, KS 67420, USA