Thomas James Miller March 13, 1939 – March 19, 2011
Thomas James Miller, only son of John Duane and Laura Anderson Miller, was born in rural Blockton, Ringgold county, Iowa on March 13, 1939 and passed away March 19, 2011 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Tom attended the one-room Miller school and later graduated from Blockton high school with the class of 1957; he also graduated from Northwest Missouri State College with a degree in agriculture and biology. While in college he joined the army reserves and served six months in Fort Ord, California. He later taught the veterans agriculture class sponsored by Southwest Iowa Community College in Creston. Tom served on the soil conservation board, was a member of the Bethany Lodge No. 320 and Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Blockton Christian Church and served as deacon and elder.
Tom and Barbara Brown were married in Gentry, Missouri on June 16, 1962 and to this union three children were born. Tom loved his family and preached honesty and character building. His other love was farming the land, seeing the crops grow and buying and trading farm equipment.
Tom is survived by his wife, Barbara of Maryville, Missouri; son, Scott Thomas and wife Michelle of Grain Valley, Missouri; daughter, Leslie Drake and husband Mark of Mankato, Minnesota; grandsons, Shane Thomas and Justin Scott Miller and Spencer Jeffrey Hawk; granddaughters, Mackenzie Grace and Alexis Danielle Hawk, and great-grandson, Kruz Jeffrey Miller.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Laura Miller; parents-in-law, Harvey Brown and Paul and Louetta Shaffer, and son, Jeffrey Duane Miller in 1990.
Tom will be missed by his family and friends. Memorials are to the Blockton Christian Church, Blockton Fire Department and the Blockton ambulance. Watson-Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr was in charge of the arrangements.
Services were held at the Christian church in Blockton on Saturday, March 26, 2011, with Rev. Scott Marcum officiating. Pianist was Jodi Lawrence.
Casket bearers included Kenneth Smith, Dan Freeman, Rick Ridge, Steve Knapp, Caleb Ridge, Taylor Ridge, Shane Miller, Justin Miller and Spencer Hawk.
Honorary pallbearers were Gary Hoover, Doyle Saville, Bill Freeman, Kenny Goff, James Ridge, L.C. Ridge, Mark Hoover, Steve Oxley, Bill Meyer, Lloyd Glendenning, Gary Cavenaugh, John West, Mike Travis, Dean Cobb, Paul Smith, Doug Wall, Granville Brown, Larry Brown, Jim Winemiller and Ron Thompson.
Military rites were by Blockton Post #443, American Legion.
Tom was laid at rest in the Redding Cemetery in Redding.
