Obituary of Edward C. Miller

Edward C. Miller passed away May 28, 2021.  He was 78 years old.  He was born June 29, 1942, in Ashtabula, Ohio, to Howard and Martha (Brown) Miller.  Surviving family members include his sister, Kathryn Martineau of Valley Center, California; son, Daryl Miller of Woodinville, Washington; and grandson, Austin Miller.  Preceding him in death were his son, Derek Miller (1991); and wife, Christel Miller (2008). 

Ed graduated from Edgewood High School in 1960. He finished his undergraduate degree in 1964 at Baldwin-Wallace College.  He later attended graduate school at University of Michigan, finishing with his J.D. Degree in spring 1967.  A week after graduating from law school, he married his wife, Christel. 

Ed first came to the Seattle area for the 1962 World’s Fair.  He fell in love with the city and the Pacific Northwest.  He and his wife eventually moved to the Seattle area, where Ed was offered an internship with a federal judge.  They resided in an apartment off Highway 99, just north of the Aurora Bridge for a year.

Ed was later employed with the State Legislature in 1970, which required him to relocate to Olympia, Washington.  While working with the Code Revisers Office, he assisted bill drafters in revising Legislative bills.  However, he soon became the IT guy in the office.  As his older boss said, “You are the only ‘youngster’ in this office who understands those thingys’ (referring to computers).”  Ed created an intranet, which assisted his colleagues in searching bills and expedited bill revisions using word processing.  He remained employed with the State of Washington for 25+ years, before taking early retirement in summer 1991. 

Once retired, Ed traveled extensively across the U.S.  He returned to the fall colors of Ohio on several occasions.  He ventured to Florida and the Deep South, visiting many Civil War battlefields along his journeys.  He drove to the Northeast for American history.  But, most of his travels took him to Southern California, where his younger sister, Kate (and her husband Norman) lived.  His extended visits in Southern California offered him the time to explore many music performances and art festivals.

One of Ed's hobbies was wood working.  He learned the basic skills from his Uncle Harold Brown in Ohio.  Ed created many pieces of household furniture that included chairs and couches, bed frames for his constantly extending boys, and several dining room tables.  Yet, his true passion was creating boxes from exotic hardwood scraps.

Ed traded his eco-wood boxes with artisans at local art festivals.  This included paintings, ceramics, weavings, glassware, or anything that caught his (or his family’s) artistic eye.  Artists were happy to always see Ed at a festival, since they looked for alternative gifts to give their friends or family members. 

After retirement, Ed increased his wood working production.  He picked through scrap wood bins at different exotic retail wood stores in Seattle and along his travels in California, Arizona, Minnesota and Texas.  His rewards included such exotic hardwoods at purple heart, coca boa, zebrawood, and ipe wood.

Ed gifted most of his wood boxes to his family, friends and the Olympia Community.  The Olympia School District and Timberland Regional Library were offered wood boxes to recognize their teachers/staff who reached retirement or career milestones (e.g., five years of service).  Ed’s eco-wood boxes are a lasting legacy for his family and the community he lived in for over 50 years.

Ed spent many years involved with the Capital High School Foundation, raising money for scholarships.  In lieu of flowers or cards, donations may be mailed to Capital High School, 2707 Conger Ave. NW, Olympia, WA 98502.  Make checks payable to “The Capital High School Foundation.”  In the memo, mention either the Derek Miller or Christel Miller Scholarship Fund.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, August 21, 2021, 11:00 a.m. at The United Churches of Olympia, 110 11th Ave. SE, Olympia, WA 98501.

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