Lane D. Miller's Obituary
Lane D. Miller
Lane D. Miller, of Ocean Shores, died August 8th in Tacoma at the Orchard Park Rehabilitation Center from a heart attack. He is preceded in death by sons Stephen Miller in July 17, 1974 and Michael Miller, and daughter-in-law Maria (nee Schossow) in August 17, 1980. He is survived by his wife of 63 years Elaine; sons Wesley (Jen-nie) of Rochester, NY and Matthew (Shari) of Tacoma; and grandchildren James (Kim) of Rochester, NY, Ann Miller of Washington D.C., and Michelle Miller and Ashley Tiffany of Tacoma. He is also survived by sisters Rose Henderson, Mary Lou Mead, Ramona Smith, and brother Robert all of Aledo, IL along with many nieces and nephews. Lane was born January 21, 1928 in Keithsburg, Illinois to John Lewis Miller and Rilla Halstead. He enlisted in the Navy on his 17th birthday in 1945 serving on the Admiral Hugh Rodman, and was in Tokyo Bay during the surrender. He was discharged with a rating of Seaman 1st Class, and then sailed on ore boats and merchant ships as an able bodied seaman sailing all over the world. In the summer of 1947 he sailed on the City of Grand Rapids, where he met Elaine Willis, who was running the popcorn machine. They were married September 10, 1948, moved to San Pedro, CA where Lane received his AA in Diesel Mechanics from Harbor Junior College, and welcomed the birth of their first son, Stephen Leslie (June 28, 1949). After returning to the Midwest where Lane worked as a machinist for J.I. Case near Bettendorf, IA where son Michael Andrew (Aug 17, 1952) was born. In the fall of 1953, Lane decided to go to "Gods Country" and moved the family to Tacoma, where Wesley Allen (June, 4th 1954) and youngest son Matthew Douglas (Jan 6, 1956) were born. Over the years Lane worked as a machinist, millwright, steamfitter, and pipefitter. He worked on the Columbia River dams and construction projects throughout the area including the atomic aircraft carrier and atomic submarine in Blackfoot, ID. In 1965, the family bought a house on N. Yakima where they lived until 1996. The 31 years on N. Yakima were mostly good years, however the loss of son Steve in 1974 and son and daughter-in-law Mike and Marie in 1980 were almost unbearable. In 1981, the weddings of sons Wesley to Jen-nie and Matt to Shari helped to heal the family. Lane greatly admired his daughters-in-law and respected the successful lived they and his sons created for their families. Lane adored the grandchildren Michelle, Jim, Ann and Ashley. In his eyes, they were could do no wrong. Lane was a hard worker, but he enjoyed living the Puget Sound. He liked to hunt and fish, took up scuba diving, and loved dogs; particularly one cocker spaniel, Buddy. He was a Master Mason for over 48 years having been raised February 15, 1963. He was Past Master of Defiance 22 (1989, 1990). He was also Past Master (1994) and Life Member of Steilacoom #2. In 1992 he retired from Local 82 Steamfitters and Plumbers, and in 1996 the couple moved to Ocean Shores. Lane enjoyed daily visits to the Marina and Jetty, watching the sunsets in the evening, and seeing the lights of the crab boats at night. He was always a salt-water sailor at heart. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, August 18th at 4pm at the Mt. View Funeral Home in Lakewood, WA.
Arrangements by Mountain View Funeral Home.
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