JAMES E. MILLER
MYSTIC: James E. “Jim” Miller of Mystic died Monday at Pendleton Healthcare. He was born March 7, 1918. His father was Mayor of Tujunga, CA, who built his own house with an orchard and chicken farm. His mother, Elizabeth “Bess” (James) Miller was a teacher at a rural California school house for 18 years. Jim lived in Tujunga where he tramped as a youth through the San Gabriel Mountains with old-time prospectors until he got an athletic scholarship to Oregon State, where he earned a degree in forestry. Jim also played pickup baseball games with Frank and Jackie Robinson.
During WWII, Jim spent 4 years in motor torpedo boats in New Guinea where he received a Silver Star among other citations and later spent 2 years as CO of the Destroyer DD860. He married Dorothy May Allaback of Pasadena, CA and had two sons, Jon and Scott. His wife and son, Jon, predeceased him. He is also survived by 3 grandchildren, Christopher and Zoe (*) of Colorado and James of Alaska.
Jim was a patriot, artist, avid gardener, gourmand, husband, father and above all, a wonderful human being. He will be missed but not forgotten.
A Memorial service will be held on Monday, November 21, at 11:00am at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 15 Pearl Street, Mystic.