Harry F. Miller Jr.

Harry F Miller Jr was born to Harry F Miller Sr and Jane Bowling Miller on April 13 1942. (Not a Friday although I often joked that it must have been. Actually a Tuesday I believe.) In those days, new mothers usually spent 2 weeks in hospital to recover. Newborns were placed on their stomachs in the nursery to prevent choking or asphyxiation if they spit up. During that stay Harry turned himself over on his back, and since no baby in their care had ever done that before, the nurses nicknamed him Hercules as a result. Since his Dad went by Harry, the baby’s nickname got shortened to Herky and it stuck though his college career. He graduated from Clinton High School in 1960, even though the school had been bombed during integration. The bombing incident became an episode of the Edward R Murrow TV show ‘You Are There’.

At the University of Tennessee Knoxville Herky pledged the fraternity Delta Tau Delta, serving as their Treasurer his junior year and President his senior year. It was at UT that he meet his wife Suzanne Mock. Graduating from the Business School in Transportation (now Supply Chain Management) he went to work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory shipping radioactive isotopes everywhere (including hospitals!). Now in the business world, he became known as Harry. He earned a Master of Science degree in Management Science, and took a job at Gulf States Paper Company in Tuscaloosa Alabama. It was there that his only child, daughter Lara was born. He took a job in Human Resources at Blue Bell Company in North Carolina (known for Wrangler Jeans, not ice cream). During his tenure with Blue Bell they transferred Harry to Brussels Belgium in charge of HR for some 6-8 European locations. (Some Italian work rules date back to Roman times! Other European countries have easier rules. Well, more recent ones anyway. ). Back in the states he took a job in Virginia and was on the point of retiring early, until he got an offer he couldn’t refuse from a former Brussels colleague. A Vice Presidency with R G Barry ( they make Dearfoams bedroom slippers).

While planning that early retirement, he and Suzy found a favorite spot off the North Carolina coast and bought a beach house there. Bought pre-construction, he would take the RG Barry job in San Antonio Texas before it was completed. Undeterred, they would still keep their Bald Head Island home, a little piece of paradise. Harry would finish his work career at RG Barry, the last four years at headquarters in Columbus OH as Executive Vice President. A highlight of his time there was to be served a cocktail by none other than George H W Bush at his Kennebunkport ME compound. ( It was the valet’s night off. ).

Harry ran half marathons for years until his knees gave out. Some notable favorites were the Surf City half marathon in Huntington Beach CA, the Columbus Day half marathon in Columbus and (of course) the San Antonio Rock N Roll. Rather than have a knee replacement to keep running, he walked our dogs 3 or 4 times a day and stayed in good shape that way.

He was a lifelong Tennessee Volunteer fan and Spurs, too, once we moved to San Antonio. Alabama Roll Tide was a close second because of Lara being born there (her team) and Suzy having worked for UA.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, and his little sister Mary Jane Miller. He is survived by his wife Suzanne, daughter Lara Segedy, grandchildren Chloe, Orrin and Rafe Saleeby. He was a kind and loving husband, father and grandfather. His love, guidance and support will be sorely missed by all.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Village Chapel of Bald Head Island, PO Box 3035, Bald Head Island NC 28461; the Bald Head Island Conservancy, PO Box 3109, Bald Head Island NC 28461 or University Methodist Church, 5084 De Zavala Rd, San Antonio TX 78249.