Obituary of Jerry A. Miller

Jerry A. Miller of Yelm, 77, died March 4, 2021, following a brief, but valiant battle with lung cancer.

He was born in Fargo, North Dakota, and being part of an Air Force family, there were dozens of places he called home. Jerry loved sports and often told stories of playing football in Texas and Arizona, where Friday night lights are a very serious thing.  He always said, “I could run faster scared, than they could mad.” He took to ice hockey when his family moved to Iceland, where he graduated from high school with a total of nine classmates.

Jerry then joined the U.S. Army and found himself stationed at what is now known as Joint Base Lewis McChord. One evening, he and some buddies went to the old Evergreen Ballroom (near Lacey, Washington) and spotted a beautiful young woman – Diane Stewart.  That chance encounter led to marriage and then along came Danni and Jody.

The music and dancing remained part of daily life, whether it was roller skating with the kids on his shoulders or spending Saturday mornings watching American Bandstand and Soul Train.  He was an awesome “girl dad.” When Danni was captain of the high school’s dance team, he actually knew some of the routines. Jerry and Jody also used to play basketball for hours, always ending their sessions shooting from half-court “for a new Buick!”

He loved hotrods and even did a little racing in his youth, at the Tenino Speedway in an orange ’55 Chevy. In his fabulous mustache days, he resembled beloved NASCAR champion Dale Earnheardt – something his girls didn’t appreciate until much later in life.  Jerry had a great network of friends and summers filled with car shows and rod runs. Jerry was also a gearhead in his professional life, spending more than 30 years as a diesel mechanic for Weyerhaeuser.

Jerry and Diane loved to travel and spent many winters in sunny Mazatlán, Mexico, with family and close friends. In his final days, he enjoyed recounting some of the shenanigans that ensued. On one occasion (that may have involved adult beverages), Jerry and Diane hit the dance floor and proceeded to show everyone how it’s done, and one person in the crowd actually called out, “That old guy just did the splits!”

He was always a proud husband and dad, but an even prouder Papa when granddaughter Brittany arrived. His “Birdie” added immense joy to his life and, thanks to technology, he was able to see her regularly – even though she was two states away.

Jerry is survived by his wife of 56 years, Diane Miller; daughter, Danni Miller, and granddaughter Brittany Miller; daughter, Jody Ferguson, and son-in-law, Jeff Ferguson. Due to the ongoing pandemic, there will not be a service.

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