my father, Michael Thomas Miller, passed away. He was 62 years old when he succumbed to the cancer he was determined to beat.He was the fifth son born to Dolores Cannon Miller Graves and Clyde Morrison Miller in Salt Lake City, Utah. When he was five years old his parent's divorced because of my grandfather's alcoholism, a disease that has brought much heartache, and enlightenment to both sides of my family.
Dad was raised with his five brothers, his mother, and his grandmother, Agnes Cannon, in a small two-bedroom home that still stands at 180 "J" Street in the avenues of Salt Lake City. During the summers dad and his brothers would sleep out on their front porch to give the boys more room. Dad's memory of their economic situation during that time was evident by dad's disclosure that his favorite dessert as a child was "sugar sprinkled on lettuce".
When dad was a teenager his mother moved to Point Loma, California to search out new opportunities. It was there that dad's mother met and married Thomas Gandy Graves.
My father struggled with high school, and in fact dropped out to join the Air Force where he served as an radar operator. After spending some time on small Japanese island, he was transferred to Winnemucca, Nevada where he met, and married my mother, Judy Gail Kendall, when he was released after four years of service with a honorable discharge.
After his discharge my parents moved back to what my grandmother would always say was our family's "center, Salt Lake City, where he found employment (with the help of his older brother Bruce) with KUTV Channel 2. He was a photographer, reporter, and a assignments and news editor.
He left KUTV in 1969 to serve as the Public Relations Officer for the Four Corners Regional Commission, and shortly thereafter, he became Governor Calvin L. Rampton's press secretary, and then served for two years as the "Guv's" executive assistant. It was during this time that my father and mother divorced. My sister Nicole was just a baby; I was five years old.
Soon afterwards my father married Jackie Brown, the daughter of former Republican vice chair, Helen Romney of Bountiful, Utah. They made their home in a small historic grainery that is still located on the corner of Main Street and Chase Lane in Centerville, Utah. Jackie and Dad had three additional children, Brighton, Michael, and Matthew. Jackie stills lives in the home they later purchased in West Bountiful, Utah.
When Governor Rampton decided not to run for a fourth term, my father became involved with Scott M. Matheson's gubernatorial campaign. Once Scott Matheson was elected governor, he appointed dad as the Executive Director of the State Department of Economic Development. In 1977 Dad left state government to join Skaggs Companies Inc. holding many positions including Vice President of Advertising, President of Skaggs Telecommunications, Secretary to the Board of Directors, Senior Vice President of Alpha Beta Stores, and advanced to the position of Chairman and CEO of Alpha Beta Company. In 1989 he became President and CEO of the Jewel Osco food and drug chain. From 1991 to 2000 dad served as President and CEO of the Skaggs Foundation.
My father also served as a Board Director of American Stores, The Scripps Research Institute, the Scripps Foundation, and the Utah Alcoholism Foundation. It was during the early eighties that dad served as Chair of the Utah Democratic Party.
Just before he retired he was awarded the St. Michael Recognition Award by the Catholic Diocese of Utah for his diligent service in the creation of the Skaggs Catholic Center schools. A statue of St. Michael stand s on that campus dedicated to my father.
Today I'm late for work (something my father would never have done) because I needed to write about dad today. What the above information doesn't tell you is how my father would help others who were not as fortunate financially as he was. He would often find others who were impoverished, or in despair, and he would find a way to help without them ever knowing whom it was that helped make their Christmas a little brighter.
I think is also important ( for me) to understand that even with all of his accomplishments, that his most important role was being our father, and that I couldn't imagine anyone else filling that role. When my son Sami cuddles up with me to watch a movie, or when we are spending time playing outside, I wonder if he feels the same way I did when I spent time with my father. I hope so, because it is those feelings true love that clings deep within my soul, and defines who my father was to me, even as an adult, five years after his passing.
Do you think they read The Utah Amicus in heaven? I hope so, because it is important for me to say today, Dad, you are with me everyday, and I am looking forward to that moment in time, or outside of it, when I can once again let you know that I love you, face-to-face.
Love breaks the bonds of time and space, and for that testimony, I am eternally grateful.
Please, have a wonderful day today, and thank you for taking a moment to help me honor my father, Michael Thomas Miller.
With every best wish,
The Utah Amicus
7 comments:
Rob,
Your Dad is up there with my Dad, and they're probably sitting down together somewhere, trying to out-brag each other about their kids. I'm positive that they get The Utah Amicus in heaven, I bet they even have it on RSS. :)
- Misty
Rob,
Great post!
But my dad is probably saying to your dad right now, that his son got you back into politics.
And to read that your dad was in the food business shows that it really is a small world. I work with alot of former American Stores people. Now, I have to ask and see how many of them remember your dad.
Great post, Rob. Sending good thoughts your way today.
Rob, I honor your father and his service to the country and here in Utah. Cancer also took my father at 65, in 1979. My father had a long Military tour, 30 years. He enlisted at 16 (lied about his age) because it was during the depression and you got three meals a day. With no formal schooling he worked up the ranks, and took advantage of schooling in the Navy. He learned shorthand, typing, morse code, and after 10 years was offered a commission. My father was diagnosed when he was 60 and lived a fairly normal life for 4 years. His last year was pure hell, but he wanted to live long enough to see his youngest son Mark graduate from the University of Washington. My very young wife (19) spent hours with him the last weeks of his life, taking notes on his incredible history. My father passed a few weeks after I graduated, and my wife presented a book of my fathers life to all the family that Christmas. The first one without my dad. 2009 will be 30 years and I miss him every day. I have an oil painting of him on my wall dressed in his Uniform. This keeps the candle bright, and all my girls, and grandchildren know my dad from this painting.
Loving regards,
Mark
I knew of your father and worked with him on a few occasions regarding news releases and news stories.
I regret to hear of his passing. Nice tribute.
I am sorry for your loss. I was wanting to know if there is a Robert Cannon Miller?
Robert Cannon Miller was my father's oldest brother. He is also my namesake.
As the youngest brother raised on "J" street, my father saw Bob as a hero. Bob was an incredible writer and speaker. When he was diagnosed with cancer he was told he had six months to live. He died eight years later.
Thanks you all for your kind words.
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