Dale A. Miller

DEERFIELD - Dale A. Miller, age 85, of the Town of Deerfield, died on Monday, June 9, 2025, at UW Health-East Madison Hospital with his family by his side. Dale was born on December 7, 1939, in the Town of Wilson Creek, the son of the late Arthur W. and Verna V. (Elsing) Miller.

Dale grew up on the farm in the Prairie du Sac area and graduated from Prairie du Sac High School in 1957. In 1963 he started his career as a union heavy equipment operator. Dale worked primarily for Icke Construction, Schlobohm Construction and D.F. Tomasini.

Always interested and active in the union movement, in 1991, Dale became a Business Agent for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139, which is a statewide local union. In 1995, Dale was elected Business Manager for Local 139. He held this position until his retirement in 2004. In the over 120-year history of Local 139, Dale was only one of six people to hold the position of Business Manager. During Dale’s tenure, the local union grew significantly from 6,395 to 8,854 members, he and his team negotiated significant increases in pay and benefits for the members and Local 139 became a major player in Wisconsin politics.

Dale also served as a trustee on the Central Pension Fund of the International Union of Operating Engineers. At the time of his passing, Dale was a proud member of the union for nearly 62 years.

Dale loved his family, his union, his cars and his six-acre property he called “the Ponderosa.” A man with a keen sense of humor (and occasional practical joke), he will long be remembered by his many friends, stories, and successes.

Dale is survived by his son, Ken (Cathy) Miller; stepsons, David (Wendy) Kinnaird, Todd (Judy) Kinnaird and Eric Kinnaird; grandchildren, Kelly (James) Murphree, Kevin (Wanda) Miller, Kent (Kristina) Miller, Dalton Kinnaird, Devin Kinnaird, Davis Kinnaird, Allison Kinnaird and Bryce Kinnaird; great-grandchildren, Kiana, Gavin, Bailey, Tyson and Nova; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is also survived by brother, Robert (Suzie) Miller of Wisconsin Rapids; sister, Karel Tormey of Cassville; and sister-in-law, Mary Miller of Prairie du Sac. He was preceded in death by brothers, William and Dean; brother-in-law, Duane Tormey; and a son, Kraig.

A funeral service will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 20, 2025. Burial will be held at Highland Memory Gardens. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 19, 2025, and also at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until the time of the service on Friday.