Victor John Miller passed away while surrounded by family on June 30, 2024, at 73 years old, in Emmett, ID.
Victor was born on July 21, 1950, to Verne and Virginia Miller (nee Keimig) in Denver, CO. He is the oldest of 3 children.
He enjoyed close relationships with his brother Preston (Barbara) of Santa Fe, NM and sister Virginia "Gini" Linthicum (Gordon) of Tuscon AZ through his adult life.
Victor attended elementary school in Denver, CO at Rose Elementary school.
He quickly became lifelong friends with Rick Mosier (Susan) and Harold "Mac" McCloud (Debbie).
He attended junior high at Alameda Junior High, and high school at Alameda High School.
Mac, Rick and Victor joined gymnastics during high school. Following high school.
Vic continued his education at Colorado School of Mines where he earned his bachelor's degree in geological engineering.
At CSM Vic joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity where he made many more lifelong friendships. Following college, he went on to earn his master's degree in mining engineering at Arizona State University.
Vic's first mining job was in Ely, NV at the Kennecott Copper mine.
He met his future bride Mary Ann Crane in 1976 during a house party she was hosting. They were immediately twitterpated and Vic soon proposed on Garnet Hill.
They were married on June 12, 1976, in Ely, NV at the United Methodist Church. Mary Ann and Vic welcomed their first-born, Cresta, in 1979.
When Cresta was 9 months old Mary Ann became pregnant again, and Jenna was born in 1980.
Following his job with Kennecott Copper, Vic moved into Gold Mining, an adventure that would take Vic and Mary Ann to live in thirteen different towns across Nevada, Utah, Colorado, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and Alaska.
Nevada was the state that Vic and Mary Ann always said they had a fishing line attached to them as Nevada would always draw them back.
Some of his favorite work locations were in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Anchorage Alaska, and Round Mountain, NV.
He retired in Winnemucca from Newmont Mining in 2016 and moved to Whitehall, MT, to be closer to Mary Ann's family.
During retirement Vic and Mary Ann enjoyed international travel including adventures in Africa, New Zealand, the Galápagos Islands, Machu Picchu, and Italy.
When Vic wasn't traveling, he spent his time volunteering with the Whitehall Rotary club, walking to achieve 10,000 steps a day, and attending the Whitehall Methodist Church with Mary Ann. During their time in Winnemucca, Vic was an active Boy Scout leader for troop 223.
He guided many young men toward achieving their Light of Arrow badge and become Eagle Scouts. Vic attended many camp outs, meetings, fundraisers, and food drives.
He also enjoyed photography and often returned to Winnemucca for their annual Shooting the West event.
Victor was a beloved family man and was well known for his love of ice cream and for being a prankster.
Victor had a contagious laugh; he would often be found silently giggling at jokes only he knew the punch line to. Vic loved being a grandpa and was excited when he became a great grandfather.
Vic made friends everywhere he went. He was known for being helpful, kind and caring. He has many lifelong friends spread out across the US. He will be missed by many.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Mary Ann; daughters, Cresta (Sherman) and Jenna (Robert); granddaughter, Daryan (Scott); great-grandchildren, Beau (11), Ryker (3), and Casey (1); and grandsons, Samuel and Michael.
He also leaves behind his brother, Preston (Barbara), his brother-in-law Gordon Linthicum and niece Emily Linthicum.
On Mary Ann's side he leaves behind sisters-in-law Janet Ewen (Dan), Nancy Edsall (Cliff) and brothers-in-law Farley Hicks, Art Crane (Mary Jane) and Tom Crane (Sandy).
He has numerous nieces, great nieces, nephews and great nephews that enjoyed spending time with him.
Victor was preceded in death by his parents Virginia and Verne Miller, his mother-in-law Patricia Calderwood and father-in-law Ray Crane and stepfather in-law Willis Calderwood; his sister, Virginia "Gini"; his nephews, Leander and Jason, sisters-in-law Karen Casady and Linda Hicks and brother-in-law Jim Casady.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, September 1, 2024 at 3:00 PM at the United Methodist Church located at 102 Brooke St. Whitehall, Montana 59759.
There will be an ice cream social immediately following the Celebration of Life.
There is Celebration of Life Facebook page with travel information for anyone who may have questions.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the following organizations:
Colorado School of Mines,
The Mines Fund, Colorado School of Mines Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 912031
Denver, CO 80291-2031
The Winnemucca, NV, chapter of the Scouts of America Troop 223
Checks can be sent to
Boy Scouts-Barta
P.O. Box 1764
Winnemucca NV 89446
or Checks can be sent to the Whitehall, MT, branch of the
Rotary Club
P.O. Box 13
Whitehall MT 59759