Obituary of La Moyne Jack Miller

La Moyne Jack Miller Jack was born in Dillon Montana, on June 25, 1936, and passed away on May 14, 2012, at Puget Sound Healthcare Center in Olympia, Washington, at the age of 75. His parents, Orrin Kemmet Miller and Dorothy Mae (Halstead) Miller moved to Montana from Nebraska just two months before Jack's birth. In 1937, the family moved west to Tenino, Washington and then to Olympia, Washington in 1939. Jack was the second of eight children—five boys and three girls. He attended Griffin School near his rural Thurston County home, and after graduation from Griffin, he attended Olympia High School. Always a cowboy at heart, Jack taught himself to sing and play the drums. He formed a band, and they called themselves "The Jubilees." Country/western music was his forte, and he excelled at his chosen profession. The dance floors were filled at such locations as Character's Corner, Taylor Towne, McCleary VFW, and the Oregon Trail. Jack had a wonderful singing voice. He preferred the music of classic country/western singers to their younger counterparts. Jack spent time in Ketchikan, Alaska, but lived most of his life in Thurston, Mason, and Stevens Counties in Washington State. In addition to his music, he held a number of carpentry and construction jobs—he was, pardon the pun, a "Jack-of-all-trades." In the 1990s, he moved to eastern Washington near Northport. He bought acreage and lived off the land—largely by hunting and fishing. His home did not include the amenities of electricity, water, or heat. He survived the harsh winters in Stevens County by use of a gas generator, the ability to keep the stew pot going, and by stocking the wood stove to the brim. Always a lover of animals, Jack kept a dog and a cat for company. He enjoyed reading, and watching movies on his VCR. Canada and the Columbia River were just a stone's throw away from Jack's property—he loved his backwoods retreat. Occasionally, Jack made trips over to Olympia to see his family. His last reunion in Olympia was in the summer of 2004. In early October 2005, Jack suffered a traumatic brain injury from an assault in Northport. His life would be dramatically altered, and he never fully recovered from his grievous injuries. Every generation since Jack's paternal grandfather Andrew Jackson Miller was born in 1874, has honored a son with the middle or first name of "Jack" or "Jackson." The youngest Jack is two years old—Jack's grandnephew. My brother Jack will be remembered for his wry sense of humor, his cowboy attire, his musical talents, his ability to mix up a pot of soup to share, his collection of cars, boats, and pick-up trucks, and his love for his family. His survivors include his four children, ten grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, six siblings, an uncle, two aunts, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Don (in February 2012), and his granddaughter Katie in 1994. Per Jack's request, no funeral services were held. A private inurnment service was held on October 27, 2012, at Mills and Mills Memorial Park, Tumwater, Washington. --This obituary was written by Phyllis A. (Miller) Barnes, Olympia, Washington. Please leave memories of Jack or condolences for the family in the Guestbook below.