Max Leslie Miller
MILLER, Max Leslie, 61, MARS HILL, October 20, 2010, at Presque Isle. Arrangements are in the care of Duncan Funeral Home, Mars Hill.
Max L. Miller, 61, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, October 20, 2010, following a brief illness with brain cancer at a Mars Hill Health Care Facility. He was born in Presque Isle, to Stillman and Marion Belyea Miller on August 20, 1949. He was a 1967 graduate of Central Aroostook High School. He enlisted in the Army and served in the Maine Army National Guard from 1967 to 1973.
Max married Kathy Alexander Miller in 1971, and they have two very special daughters, Tammy and Teena.
He had a very strong work ethic and held various jobs starting at the age of 13, when he packed and carried groceries at the local IGA for the Rideout brothers, Potato Broker for Mars Hill Potato Company with Dick Hallett, a self employed carpenter throughout Aroostook County, a Potato Inspector for the Maine Dept. of Agriculture and most recent, an Environmental Specialist for the State of Maine Board of Pesticide Control where he retired from on August 20th of this year. He made many lasting friendships along the way.
Max was an avid outdoorsman and loved to fish and hunt, even getting a moose in 2001. He loved going to his camp on his woodlot in E Plantation with his friend, Rhonello Shaw, brother-in-law Steve, and nephew Adam. Many stories could be told of those adventures. He loved Mars Hill Mountain, especially when the leaves changed color in the fall, and knew where the best hunting used to be there. Growing up in its backyard, he knew every inch like the back of his hand. He loved to sing and play his guitar and his love of music was passed on to his daughters at an early age.
He always had a story to tell and his sense of humor provided much laughter for all who he came in contact with, including the nurses and doctors at Eastern Maine Medical Center, The Aroostook Medical Center and the Mars Hill Health Care skilled facility. He was never short on words and could bring a smile to anyone he came in contact with.
He wasn’t one to travel, but enjoyed the few historical visits to Appomattox in Virginia and the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. He enjoyed the four wheeler ride through the Blue Ridge Mountains and couldn’t get over the vast apple orchards owned by those who accompanied him on the ride.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Blaine, where he loved his Pastor, Gardner (Butch) Smith and his wife, Bonnie, and the congregation, especially those in his Sunday School class. He was a past member of the William Cousins Legion Post of Mars Hill, a past board member of MSAD #42 and a past EMT for the Central Aroostook Ambulance Corp.
He is survived by his loving wife of 39 years, Kathy (Alexander) Miller; daughters, Tammy Miller of Amherst, Virginia, and Teena Buckingham and her husband, Lendell of Garfield, his mother, Marion Miller of Mars Hill; a brother, Stillman Miller and his wife, Beverly of Mars Hill; brother-in-laws, Bobby Alexander and his wife, Kristi of Ellsworth, Jim and his wife, Debbie of Old Town, Stephen and his wife, Carle of Hamden, Tim from Robinson, John and his wife, Debbie of Presque Isle; and sister-in-law, Cindy (Alexander) Lovely and her husband, Jim of Mars Hill; several special nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles. Many special friends, especially Wayne Lunn, Dale Miller and Donald Rideout of Mars Hill. He will be especially missed by “Bodee”.
He was predeceased by his father, Stillman (Fay) Miller; grandparents, Leon and Cora Belyea & Percy and Amy Miller.
A special thank you to Dr. Jones, Dr. Pelli, Dr. Wood, Dr. Mullen, Dr. Sood, the nurses and staff at the TAMC rehab, P.T. and O.T. and the Mars Hill Aroostook Health Center, for the wonderful care during these past few months. A special thank you to “the sisters” and the day staff, who always found time to get him to laugh and smile. Your caring and excellent care will not be forgotten.
Calling hours were at Duncan Funeral Home in Mars Hill on Friday, Oct. 22, from 6-9 p.m. and on Saturday, Oct. 23, 1-2 p.m. at the First Free Baptist Church of Blaine followed by the funeral at 2 p.m., with the Rev. Gardner Smith officiating. Internment followed at the Boundry Line Cemetery in Bridgewater.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Robert and Betty Alexander Scholarship Fund in c/o MSAD 42, P.O. Box 1006, Mars Hill, ME or to the First Free Baptist Church of Blaine/Paving Fund c/o Betty Cronkhite, P.O. Box 109, Blaine, ME. Online condolences may be expressed at www.duncan-graves.com
