Rev. Wesley G. Miller

Rev. Wesley G. Miller, 87, of Monroe, Ohio, died on March 21, 2003, at Mt. Pleasant Retirement Village. He was born in Hennepin County, Minnesota on September 30, 1915 to parents Benjamin F. and Emma (Kuehn) Miller.

Rev. Miller attended Westmar College in Minnesota and the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Naperville, Illinois, where he graduated and was ordained in 1939. Married the same year to Ruth Taylor Miller, the couple moved to Minnesota where he and Ruth started hteir family and served three pastorates under the Evangelical United Bretren Church. In 1951, they changed to the Presbyterian denomination and served two more churches in Minnesota, including House of Hope Church in St. Paul. In 1958, the Millers were called to start a new church in Florissant, Missouri.

Based on his experience in starting the John Knox Church in Florissant, Rev. Miller was called to be Associate Director of the St. Louis Presbytery where he worked in the areas of New Church Development, Business Affairs, Stewardship, and Evangelism. He helped to organize five new Korean churches in Chicago. Rev. Miller held similar positions in the Philadelphia and Chicago Presbyteries until his retirement in 1981, when he and Ruth moved to Yellow Springs, Ohio. While there, Wesley was Chairman of the Board of the Yellow Springs Senior Center and member of the Lions Club, as well as keeping busy with his retirement occupation in the reupholstery business.

In 1988, the Millers became residents of Mount Pleasant Retirement Village in Monroe, Ohio. Wesley was active in the Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church and served as a member of the board of Mt. Pleasant Village and vice president of the Resident Association. He organized and developed the Elder School Program, headed various programs for sports activities, and participated in planning the Wellness Building at Mt. Pleasant. An avid woodcarver, Wesley was named a statewide winner in the annual art competition sponsored by Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Services (OPRS). His work was featured in the 2002 OPRS Resident Art Calendar.

Rev. Miller also was the stimulus for developing the “Means of Grace” theme for the memorial stained glass windows in Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church and in 2002, Rev. Miller published his book “Celebrating Our First 200 Years: History of Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church” in honor of the church’s bicentennial celebration.

Wesley is survived by his son, Donald Miller and Sharron Miller of Hazelwood, Missouri; his daughter Margaret (Peg) Kane and Jim Kane of Yellow Springs, Ohio; and his granddaughter, Penelope Heinigk and Rafel Heinigk of Denver, Colorado.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Harold Miller; and his sister, Harriet Miller.

Wesley was a visionary thinker who always sought practical means for achieving goals based on his dedication to serving others. He will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved him.

Memorial Service will be held Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 11:00 AM at Monroe Presbyterian Church, 57 West Elm Street, Monroe, with Reverend Sam Gibb and Reverend Stan Gockel officiating. Interment will be at North Monroe Cemetery at the convenience of the family.

Memorial donations may be made to Mount Pleasant Retirement Village, c/o Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Services Foundation, 1001 Kingsmill Parkway, Columbus, OH 43229 – OR – the Memorial Fund of Monroe Presbyterian Church, 57 W. Elm St., Monroe, OH 45050 – OR – Hospice of Dayton, P.O. Box 3509, Dayton, OH 45401-3509.


Funeral Home:
Wilson-Schramm-Spaulding
3805 Roosevelt Blvd.
Middletown, OH
US 45044