Robert Miller

MILLER ROBERT F. MIDDLETON-Robert Frank Miller, age 71, passed away on Thursday, May 28, 2009 at the Don & Marilyn Anderson HospiceCare Center after a long and courageous battle with Multiple Myeloma. The son of Urban and Mathilda Miller, Bob was born on February 6, 1938, at home in Pine Bluff. He attended Mount Horeb High School until his parents moved to Middleton; he graduated from Middleton High School in 1956. After high school he served in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. Returning home from the Army, he attended the University of Wisconsin and graduated in 1961 with a B.S. degree in Commerce. He married Trudy (Gertrude Niesen) on September 30, 1961. Bob is survived by his wife, Trudy; sons James of Middleton and Jeffery of Deerfield; a granddaughter, Paige Atkinson, who is currently serving with the U.S. Army; his sister, Rosie Domini of Madison; sister-in-law Phyllis Miller of Madison; brothers Arnold (Dorothy)of Madison and Leo (Dorothy) of Martinsville; brother-in-law Robert (Karen) Niesen of Waunakee, sister-in-law Phyllis Lamping (Thomas) of Davenport, Iowa and many wonderful nieces and nephews. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Urban and Mathilda Miller, brother Clarence, brother-in-law Donald Domini and father and mother-in-law Clarence and Esther Neisen. In 1961, Bob went to work for General Casualty Insurance Company. Over the next 20 years, he worked as a claims adjuster, investigator, and supervisor. In 1981, he took a position as Vice President of Claims for Federated Rural Electric Company. In 1982, he went with Capitol Indemnity Insurance Company and worked as Executive Director of Large Claims and retired from the company in 2008. Bob was an avid sports person and worked as a registered WIAA sports official for 35 years. He officiated football, basketball, baseball and volleyball for area high schools, tech schools, home talent and city league teams. He was inducted into the Madison Mallards Wall of Fame in 2005 for his years of dedicated service as a ball player and sports official. Bob and his wife Trudy served the Office of Family Life Ministry in Madison for 26 years as a team couple for the Marriage Preparation and Marriage Encounter programs. He was a commissioned Stephen Minister and for several years volunteered through this special program with the Middleton Outreach Ministry program. In 1985, he was honored with the "Good Neighbor of Middleton Award". A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. BERNARDS CATHOLIC CHURCH, 7450 University Ave., Middleton at 11:00 AM on Friday, June 5, 2009 with Monsignor Douglas Dushack presiding. Burial will be in St. Bernards Cemetery. Family and friends may call from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM on Thursday, June 4, 2009 at the GUNDERSON WEST FUNERAL HOME, 7435 University Ave., Middleton and also on Friday from 10:00 AM until the time of the service at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to HospiceCare or The Trillium Fund for Multiple Myeloma Research. Gunderson West Funeral & Cremation Centers 7435 University Ave. 608-831-6761 www.gundersonfh.com