Thomas Francis Miller
Thomas Francis Miller, 92, of Lawndale, passed away Saturday, May 26, 2018 at his home.
Born in Sheldon, Iowa, on March 27, 1926 he was a son of the late, George Francis Miller and Helen Elizabeth Miller.
Tom graduated Sheldon High School in May 1944, reported directly to the US Army Air Forces (AAF), and served on active duty during the final months of World War II mobilization and transition to peace.
Tom continued service in Reserve units from 1946-49. During this period, he attended Sheldon Junior College, where he played basketball and football. He quarterbacked the 1948 Championship season.
Tom returned to active duty in the emerging US Air Force (USAF) in 1949. He piloted various military airlift platforms, including the Douglas C-54 Skymaster during the Korean War, the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II and C-133 Cargomaster during the Cold War, and finally the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter during the Vietnam Conflict. Tom's Air Force Base and airfield assignments included: Ashiya and Tachikawa, Japan; Hickam, HI; Andersen, Guam; McChord, WA; Dover, DE; and McGuire, NJ. He married Dee in 1954. Tom retired from military service at the end of 1968.
Tom and his family moved to Cleveland County, NC. While he briefly flew a Lockheed Constellation for Wrangler of Greensboro, Tom as a civilian largely worked with utilities and water management processes: first at the Celanese plant near Grover, and later at Cleveland Mills in Lawndale. He and his family also raised white-faced Angus cattle on their farm for many years.
Tom long enjoyed golfing. Proud of both an even-par round and a hole-in-one, he stopped playing only after various joint replacements. He and his wife, Dee, regularly returned to Sheldon's high-school reunions, held every fifth year. Tom and Dee both enjoyed a long and well-earned retirement at their home near Lawndale. In his last years, Tom enjoyed watching televised broadcasts of various sports events, especially the Atlanta Braves, UNC Tarheels (both football and basketball), the Carolina Panthers, and all available golf coverage, including its return to the Olympic Games.
In addition to his parents Tom was preceded in death by his wife of fifty-three years, Dolores "Dee" Irene Miller.
He is survived by his brother, James V. Miller of Joliet, IL; son, LTC (retired) Stephen J. Miller, USAR; daughter-in-law Chong Un Miller; grandson, CPT Michael E. Miller, USAR; and daughter Kathy Miller; and son-in-law Timothy Elliott.
The family will receive friends on Friday, from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at Stamey-Tysinger Funeral Home, Fallston.
Memorials may be made in Tom's name to the Fisher House Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides lodging for families of military personnel who are hospitalized for injury or illness. Fisher House Foundation, 111 Rockville Pike, Suite 420, Rockville MD 20850 or online at fisherhouse.org.
Condolences may be made online at www.stameytysingerfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Stamey-Tysinger Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Inc., Fallston.
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