Clarke F. Miller of Auburn passed away on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Clarke was born September 29, 1925 to William F. Miller and Sadie Ballard Miller in Washington, Iowa. He joined the Navy in July of 1943 and served in the Pacific for the duration of the war, aboard the USS Highlands.
After the war, he went back to Washington Iowa. There he met his wife of 67 years, Vivian M. Nicola, whom he married in February, 1948. Mrs. Miller passed away in November, 2015.
Those early years of married life, Clarke had many jobs. He drove truck for Cargill hauling livestock from Iowa to Chicago and Omaha, worked at McCleary Cummings calendar factory, owned a small newspaper in Wayland and farmed. He shared ownership of a small plane when he got his pilot's license in the early 1950's. He went back in the Navy in October, 1957 to Topeka Kansas and then was transferred to Alameda California in October, 1960 to the USS Midway. Clarke ended his military career assigned to the Admiral's staff at Subic Bay, Phillipines, and retired from there in May, 1974.
After retirement, the family moved back to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he worked at Quaker Oats Company. They then relocated again, back to Auburn California, where he worked as a janitor at Bowman School, worked at the Arco station on Lincoln Way at Raley's shopping center, then managing Golden Chain Mobile Home Park from about 1995 till 2013.
Clarke was very involved in his grandchildren's school lives at Bowman and St. Joseph schools, chaperoning field trips and participating in grandparents days as well as partcipating in church youth group plays and driving groups of First Baptist Youth to Mexico for their mission trips.
Clarke will be truly missed by his three daughters, Sandy Passadore (Andy) of Rocklin, CA, Terri Akerson, (Derk) of Burlison, Tennessee and Kelly Miller of Williamsburg, Iowa, his six grandchildren, Gina Brady (Shawn) of Rio Linda, CA, Anne Alarcon (Raul) of Citrus Heights, CA, Christoper Akerson (Michelle) of Millington, TN, Brian Akerson (Lena) of Norfolk, VA, Nick Sykora of Petaluma, CA and Stephanie Sykora of Norfolk, VA his three great-grandchildren, Noah and Mercedes Alarcon and Madelyn Akerson as well as many neices and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church of Auburn, 139 East Placer Street, on Friday, May 31st, 2019 at 2:00 pm. Refreshements to follow the service.
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