Victor Balk Miller

Victor Balk Miller’s life was dedicated to serving God and those around him. As his grandson observed recently, “Grandpa likes to make things better.” He worked hard to build and improve things, whether in business, through his pottery, landscaping, or in his years of ministry in Mexico. He died peacefully at his home in Jamul, California on Father’s Day, June 18, 2023 at 69 years of age.

Victor was born in Denver, Colorado to Allen and Jean Miller and grew up in the unincorporated suburbs of southeast Denver and in the mountain town of Grand Lake, Colorado.

Victor developed a love for working with clay early in life. He built his first kiln as a young teen, and while in high school worked with several professional potters, artists and craftsmen in a large cooperative studio in Colorado, and sold his work in his own shop in Grand Lake, Colorado. He attended Colorado State University (CSU) where he met Susan Lind. They married in Wellington, Colorado in 1975, and worked together in a pottery shop while raising their two children, Joanna and Joshua. In 1987, they moved to San Diego, California, and developed their first manufacturing business, Arc Products, with their longtime friend, Lane Litke. Arc Products’ focus was the design, manufacture, and installation of automated welding systems used in industrial applications. In 2001, they started AP Precision Metals, a sheet metal fabrication and powder coat shop, which continues under the management of his son Joshua.

After Arc Products was purchased by Lincoln Electric in 2011, Victor and Susan moved to Jamul, California. In retirement, Victor made regular trips to Mexico, learned to tend his Syrah vineyard, made wine and port with his neighbors and his good friend, Ed Casamassima, used his tractor to created gardens and gathering spaces on his property, hosted family and neighborhood events, made porcelain and stoneware pottery, and played with and told stories to his grandchildren, Edda (3) and Anthony (7).

For the last 25 years, he devoted much of his time and passion to helping people at the very bottom of their lives in Mexico. Every week, he drove into Tijuana to work with a Christian ministry called “La Esperanza,” a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility which expanded in that time to many cities throughout Mexico. He was a good and faithful friend to Julio Hernandez and Javier Marquez, and was a source of stability and unconditional love in many people's lives on both sides of the border.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Susan Miller of Jamul, his daughter Joanna Casucci, son-in-law Tom Casucci, and grandson, Anthony Casucci, of Los Angeles, CA, and his son Joshua Miller, daughter-in-law Marie Hill, and granddaughter, Edda Miller-Hill, also of Los Angeles, as well as four siblings: Ralph Miller of Show Low, AZ, Ellen Stackable of Tulsa, OK, Kirk Miller of Ilwaco, WA, and Derek Miller of Tabernash, CO.

A memorial service will be held at Church of the Good Shepherd, Bonita, at 11 AM, Friday, July 14, 2023.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the ministry in Mexico or to the Good Shepherd Endowment Fund in Victor’s memory.

Checks may be made to The Parish of the Good Shepherd and mailed to:

Parish of the Good Shepherd, 3990 Bonita Rd, Bonita, CA 91902

Please annotate “La Esperanza Ministry” or “Endowment” in the check memo.

Or online at: https://secure.myvanco.com/YJ6H/home

To direct your online donation, the church will contact you directly or you may email them at the address shown on your receipt.