Lyman La Rue Miller

While growing up, Lyman and his parents lived three miles North and one mile East of Bellaire, Kansas. He attended Bellaire Grade School. In 1955, his family purchased and moved to Lyman’s grandfather Bowman’s farm North of Smith Center, Kansas. Lyman helped his dad on the farm and attended 7th and 8th grade at Cora Grade School. He received his High School Diploma in 1960 from Smith Center, Kansas.

He worked for Chance Air Conditioning and Refrigeration in Smith Center. On May 1, 1961, he started working for the Kansas Department of Transportation as an Engineer Technician in Phillipsburg, Kansas. He remained with KDOT until he retired on June 3, 2005 with 44 years of service. He started working part-time for Burns and McDonnell Engineering Company on June 6, 2005. In 2008, he did volunteer work for one of the Library Branches of Johnson County.

He was drafted into the Army in 1964. Took his boot training in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and later was sent to Thailand to help with building roads and worked on the Bangkok Bypass. On November 17 1965, he received his Honorable Discharge from the Army.

On May 1, 1966, he was united in marriage to Betty (McClure) Miller at the United Methodist Church in Phillipsburg, Kansas. Upon their marriage, they moved to Goodland, Kansas where he was employed with KDOT. To this union, two sons were born, Bradley Jay and Timothy Ray. In November 1975, he and his family were transferred to Atwood, Kansas. In 1977, Lyman accepted a position with KDOT at the Turkey Creek Office in the Kansas City area. At the time of his retirement, retired from the Bonner Springs, Kansas office having worked 44 years with KDOT. Lyman’s greatest joy was his family and grandsons, Hayes and Seeley, and his friends. He liked to read and enjoyed history. He became involved with genealogy by attending “The Millers” family reunions. Through his research, he was able to join the “Sons of the American Revolution” on August 8, 2007 and enjoyed his involvement with the Monticello Chapter as a Color Guard. He was a member of the American Legion Post 327 as an Honor Guard in Shawnee, Kansas. He liked working on the computer and taking pictures on vacations, and he liked to tease family and friends. At times, when he was telling someone a tale you didn’t know if it was true or just that, a story, until he clarified it.

Lyman became a member and was baptized in the Shawnee Presbyterian Church of Shawnee, Kansas on June 25, 1978.

Lyman was a quiet, gentle man loved by all.

He is survived by his wife, Betty, of the home; two sons, Bradley Jay and wife, Tania, of Olathe, Kansas and Timothy Ray and wife, Helen, of Shawnee, Kansas; two grandsons, Hayes Miller of Shawnee, Kansas and Seeley Miller of Shawnee, Kansas and two step grandsons, Daniel and David; sister, Charlene (Miller) McCartney and husband, Roger, of Belleville, Kansas; brother, Douglas Miller of Lawrence, Kansas; brother-in-law, Kenneth McClure and wife, Brenda, of Stockton, Kansas and numerous relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents. He leaves to mourn his death six nephews and a niece and four great nieces and three great nephews.

His visitation will begin at 9:30am, followed by his funeral service at 11am on Saturday, July 31, 2021 at the McGilley & Hoge Chapel, 8024 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park, Kansas 66204. Burial with Military Honors will follow in Shawnee Mission Memory Gardens, 23215 W. 75th Street, Shawnee, Kansas 66227.