In an early, quiet hour of Tuesday, June 2nd, Melvin N. Miller, age 89, passed away at his home in Douglassville, Pennsylvania with an unassailable conviction that his faith would safeguard his journey beyond this life and that he was joining his beloved wife, Betty, and his savior, Jesus Christ, in eternal rest.
Melvin was born on September 27th, 1930 in New Berlinville, Pennsylvania. He served as a Master Sergeant in the National Guard and graduated from Boyertown High in 1948.
Melvin was proud of the farming skills he cultivated in his youth. He channeled his deep reverence for nature into a professional career as a purchaser and seller of wood. Boyertown Casket Company, York Casket Company, Mann & Parker Lumber, and Bally Block Company all benefited from his practical knowledge, tactical skills, and ever-present charm.
Melvin possessed a peaceful, joyful energy that exuded gratitude for his circumstances and appreciation for others. He was a gracious and deeply humble person dedicated to living modestly. And yet, he displayed an extensive generosity that was both diligent and spontaneous. He was as forthcoming with his praise and thankfulness as he was with his material possessions. In his early adult life, he was honored to donate his services to the Free & Accepted Masons of Columbus, Ohio and later to the Lions Club International in Bally, Pennsylvania. He was a proud, active member of both the St. John Hill U.C.C. and St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Boyertown. His tenor voice rang jubilantly both in the choir and in the congregation.
Melvin was as comfortable with his own company as he was with that of others. He enthusiastically enjoyed the comradery of his friends at the Bally Senior Center. Equally, he enjoyed sitting on his porch gazing outward at a favorite rural landscape and gazing inward toward cherished memories of his family. He was a truly thoughtful person – externally toward others and internally with his own deeply held beliefs. Melvin gravitated toward reading history and biographies. He possessed a patient, methodical intellect and preferred to gather a little bit of information and then quietly ponder it for an extended period of time.
People consistently described Melvin as “sweet” because the depth of his kind-heartedness was so readily apparent. Those who knew him well frequently caught a glimpse of the mischievous glint in his eye. His humor was heavily dependent upon irreverent puns and slightly bawdy stories. And yet, without a trace of irony, he created a “Melwood” email address. True to form, he good naturedly endured the teasing he received from his children and grandchildren.
Melvin was deeply devoted to his wife of 65 years, Elizabeth Jean Fitts Miller. He doted upon her until her death in 2017. He is preceded in death by his parents, Norman and Myrtle Rhoades Miller, by his brothers Herman and Marion, and by his sister, Pauline Weller. He is survived by a long list of relatives whom he cherished greatly: his children Daniel, Norman, Susan Hallman, and David; his nine grandchildren Brent, Jenna, Michael, Scott, Karla, Karen Svarczkopf, Steven Hallman, Dane Ballou, and Drake Ballou; his five great grandchildren Bella, Vera, Brinley, Charlotte and Sawyer; his sisters Shirley Ziegenfuse and Gloria Conrad; his brother-in-law Dennis Conrad; as well as his daughters-in-law Jean Miller, Deb Miller, Lisa Ballou and his son-in-law Kevin Hallman.
Family members will hold a graveside service at 11:00a.m. Monday, June 8th at St. John – Hill U.C.C.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a commemorative donation to a cause which Melvin was proud to support – Boyertown Area Multiservice. Donations can be mailed to: 200 West Spring St., Boyertown, PA 19512 or made via their website.