Ronald J Miller

Ronald J Miller, beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on January 2, 2021. He always wanted to go peacefully in his sleep, and he did. He was a very young and active 80 who still worked part time at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and walked every day. We were lucky to get 4 ‘bonus years’ with him after he had triple bypass and an aortic valve replacement in September of 2016, and a full heart attack 6 months later.

Ron was born in Spanish Fork, Utah to James F. and Lois H. Miller. He was proud to be a Springville boy! You could mention anyone from Springville, and he knew them. After graduating from high school in 1958 he served in the National Guard, then served an LDS mission in the California Los Angeles Mission. Back in Dad’s day, they asked him to bring his own car, and the mission covered Southern California, southern Nevada, and all of Arizona. He graduated from BYU in 1968 with a BA in Communications. He married Sharrin Mass in the Salt Lake Temple on February 12, 1965. They would have celebrated their 56th anniversary next month.

Dad did a lot of different things in his life, including many years as a Real Estate Agent and Broker. In the last 20 years, after he ‘retired’, he loved working at Cabela’s part time for several years, and then driving cars around for Enterprise.

Dad was a ‘true Miller’ in that he loved Diet Coke! He always had a Diet Coke poured over ice as soon as he got home, and in the last few months was able to walk to Maverik to get a nice cold Diet Coke any time he wanted. Dad LOVED sports. He loved the Yankees all his life and passed that devotion on to the family, especially Wendi. Wendi and Dad (and Kelli and Rob when possible) traveled many times to different cities in the West to see the Yankees play on the road, and no matter the time of year, we could spend hours talking about the Yankees. He loved the Jazz, and the last thing he did on his last night after coming home from watching football at Kelli’s was to watch the Jazz game in his recliner. Most of all, Dad was obsessed with BYU football! He was able to bend most of the family to his will, but spent many hours loving the BYU-Utah rivalry with Wendi.

Dad loved his family. All of us knew we were his favorite child. Dad and Wendi shared a love of sports and of Mexican food. We loved Saturdays full of college football, Sundays full of the NFL, and the blessedly long baseball season. Dad and Wendi could talk about anything but politics, and deep down he loved that Wendi is a Ute through and through. It always made for interesting Rivalry Weeks! Dad and Kelli were best buds and talked every day. In the last few months he was able to have dinner at Kelli’s almost every night and spend quality time with her and her family, and it meant so much to both of them. Kelli has always been Dad’s Girl, and she is his equal in BYU fandom. He was so proud of everything she did! Rob was Dad’s favorite hunting and fishing buddy, from the time he could walk and hold a fishing pole. They spent every weekend of Rob’s childhood at the family fishing shack at Strawberry Reservoir, and after that any fall weekend they could find hunting pheasants. He was so proud that Rob is a firefighter.

He loved his German Shorthair Pointers, and for 50+ years raised and bred them under the name Skyline Kennels. We lost track of how many litters of puppies he (we) bred and nurtured over the decades. He loved hunting pheasants with Rob, all of the grandsons, and his beloved younger brother and best friend Chris Miller. For the last 20+ years they spent all year planning their annual fall trip to the Dakotas to go pheasant hunting. This year his three youngest grandsons got to go on their first hunting trip. In 2019 he fulfilled a lifelong dream of going fishing in Alaska with Rob and Chris.

Dad loved his grandkids more than anything, and they knew it. He attended every football game, soccer game, wrestling match, and school play that he could, and loved any time that he could spend with them. We had a great Christmas season with Dad in the last week of his life. He loved getting together with the family for any occasion. Dad made friends with everyone, and will be missed by all who knew him. He loved life and lived it to the fullest! We are heartbroken.

Dad is survived by his wife, Sharrin; his favorite daughter Wendi Miller (Jane); his favorite daughter Kelli Tingey (Mel); and his favorite son Rob Miller (Brynn). He is survived by 9 beloved and adored grandchildren: Cameron Olson (Jordan), Brenner, Andrew, and Dalin Miller; and Matt (Bailie), Erika, Mark, Sam and Isaac Tingey. He is also survived by his brother Chris (Teresa) Miller and sister Marsha Oakey. He is preceded in death by his parents Jim and Lois, brother Bruce, and sisters Janet McCardell and Linda Alleman.

Due to COVID limitations and concerns, a small, private funeral service for the immediate family, will be held on Saturday, January 9, 2021. The service will be streamed for friends, extended family, and those who loved Dad. Interment at a later date. We hope to have an outdoor memorial and celebration of Dad’s life in the spring, where everyone can come.
To remember Dad, please have a nice, cold Diet Coke, dinner at your favorite Mexican place, and hug your family and tell them you love them every day.