John Arthur Miller

WEST LINN, OR – John Arthur Miller passed peacefully at home after an illness on Friday, June 23, 2023.

John has been described as a “man on the move.” Born in Detroit, he was the youngest of three boys. His father was a Ford Motor executive. At age 12, Ford relocated the family to São Paulo, Brazil where John learned to surf, play soccer, and speak Portuguese. Three years later, the family moved to a suburb of Boston, where John attended Weston High School. He studied Political Science at Principia College in Elsah, IL and spent a term in Washington, D.C. as a Congressional intern.

While at college, he introduced famous inventor, architect, and thinker, Buckminster Fuller, who was a guest speaker at the school. After having dinner with him, John (and a few others) led “Bucky” across the campus to the auditorium. Before entering, Mr. Fuller paused, looked up at the constellations in the night sky and said, “I’m orienting myself.” On starry nights, and with a twinkle in his eye, John would look up and repeat those words.

His college studies also included a class taught by world-famous ornithologist, “Doc” Wanamaker. This spurred a life-long interest in birds. A pair of good binoculars were always by the kitchen window and in the car. John also worked hard to develop a habitat in the back garden which attracted a diversity of bird life.

After college John embarked on a backpacking adventure through Europe, supporting his travels by taking on jobs such as cherry picking in West Germany and working on boats in the French Riviera (John loved sailing). While at the cherry farm, John met an elderly man from East Berlin, who under certain circumstances, was allowed to spend his summers working at this farm. He invited John to visit him and his wife, where John saw firsthand what it was like to live behind the Berlin Wall.

In 1979, John began a career in Direct Marketing, first at Epsilon Data Management in Boston, then in Los Angeles at Smith-Hemmings-Gosden (acquired by Foote, Cone & Belding Direct in 1984). While in Southern California John reconnected with a college acquaintance, Anne Dyck, who was teaching kindergarten in Santa Monica. They married in 1984 in her hometown of Hutchinson, KS and honeymooned in Switzerland. They settled in Corona del Mar, CA until 1989 when John went client side and joined Hanna Andersson, the children’s Swedish clothing catalog in Portland, OR. There, their first son, Shelby, was born, and he had plenty of hannas to wear!

In 1993 the Millers moved to Wichita, KS where John joined Pizza Hut as a Database and Consumer Research Manager. They had their second son, Marshall, in 1995 and two weeks later followed Pizza Hut’s corporate relocation to Dallas, TX. in 1997 John and Anne’s appreciation for life in the Pacific Northwest took them back to Oregon where John joined Hollywood Entertainment.

The PNW proved to be a wonderful place to raise two boys. John took the family hiking, skiing, and on road trips to the Oregon coast. In summer the sons attended camp in British Columbia. Back at home, John’s brother and family lived close by, so family and friends were always around for the holidays.

In March of 2005, John finally got to combine his love for adventure with work when he joined Grand European Travel in Lake Oswego, OR, (a brand of The Travel Corporation), as Vice-President of Marketing. He later became its President. Business took John around the world, and the family got to tour England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and other places.

John was a longtime member of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, MA and a member of his local branch church, First Church of Christ, Scientist, Lake Oswego, OR. He served as a First Reader in the Principia College Christian Science Organization. After college he was a Sunday School teacher, an Executive Board Member, and served on various committees at Christian Science branch churches wherever he lived. Into every detail of his life, John brought inspiration from his study of Christian Science.

John was predeceased by his mother, Pauline Enright Miller, and father, Harry Iddings Miller. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, and his sons: Shelby of Portland, OR and Marshall of San Francisco, CA. He is also survived by his brothers William (Connie) of Fairfield, OH, and Mark (Debbie) of West Linn, OR; brothers-in-law Daniel (Linda) Dyck of Hutchinson, KS, and Edward (Gabrielle) Dyck of Wright City, MO. His nephews and nieces are Michael, Michelle, Andrew (Sachi), Marilla (“JR”), Anthony (Johanna), Heidi (Josh), JoAnne and Eddie.

John will be remembered for his intelligence, gentleness, diligence, compassion, discipline, curiosity, good-humor, thoughtfulness, high-mindedness…. and always, for being “on the move.”

A celebration for John will be held August 27th, 2023 in West Linn, OR.