Robert Miller

Robert Harold Miller died on Wednesday afternoon, Nov 21, 2018 at the age of 85 in Columbus, Ohio, after a short battle with cancer.

He will be missed by his wife of 61 years, Betty (Korb) Miller, daughters Cheryl Miller, Lori (Michael) Snodgrass, and Sally (Michael) Padgett, grandson Joshua Padgett, grand-daughters Haylee Padgett and Carlie Snodgrass all residing in Columbus, Ohio, brother Richard Miller of Green Bay Wisconsin and many other relatives and friends.   

He was preceded in death by his parents Arthur and Gertrude (Zietlow) Miller of Fremont Wisconsin, sisters Marge Koepp and Phyllis Snyder. 

Bob grew up on a farm in Fremont, Wisconsin and graduated from Weyauwega High School in 1951.  He served in the Army for 2 years from 1954-1956. 

In 1958, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin at River Falls with a degree in Agriculture Education.  While there, he met and married his wife Betty.  Bob went on to receive a Masters and PhD in Soil Microbiology from the University of Minnesota, in 1961 and 1964, respectively.  

After graduation, Bob took a job as a professor at OSU in the Agronomy Department.  He remained there for 18 years, except for one year when he was a Fulbright Lecturer at Ankara University in Turkey.  In 1982, he became the Head of the Soil Science Department at NC State University.  In 1989, he headed north where he served as the Dean of the College of Resource Development and Director of the Cooperative Extension at the University of Rhode Island. 

Following his retirement in 1996, he spent some time working as a consultant for the Center for Marine Services at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth.  Later, he and Betty moved to Alma, Wisconsin (Betty’s homestead) where they spent the next 20 years.  

In Alma, he joined the local Lions Club, serving as treasurer for a number of years.  He represented the state of Wisconsin as a member of the Mississippi River Parkway Commission for 13 years.  He was actively involved in the Democratic Party at the local, state and national levels.  He served as the Buffalo County Democratic Chairman and was a Wisconsin delegate to the National Democratic conventions in 2004 and 2012.  

He also kept active playing bridge, pickleball, bowling and golfing.  He loved sports whether watching or participating.  In 2017, he and Betty returned to Columbus Ohio to be near their daughters and grandkids.  He remained a loyal Buckeye fan until the end. 

Visiting Hours will be Saturday, December 1 from 2pm-3pm at Gethsemane Lutheran Church, 35 E Stanton Ave, Columbus, OH, 43214 with a memorial service to follow at 3pm. Arrangements completed by Jerry Spears Funeral Home with Crematory, 2693 West Broad St. Columbus.

As someone who believed in the power of education, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to an OSU’s Ag Scholarship Fund or the Agricultural Charity of your choice

https://www.osu.edu/giving/support-a-college-or-campus/colleges/college-of-food-agricultural-and-environmental-sciences.html

https://www.osu.edu/giving/support-a-college-or-campus/campuses/ohio-agricultural-research-and-development-center.html

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