BIG RAPIDS — Joseph Douglas Miller, a retired Navy captain, completed his last mission at his Big Rapids home on President’s Day, Feb. 15, 2010. Heart failure followed a severe heart attack on Dec. 30. His remains will be buried in Rural Hill Cemetery in Northville, alongside his wife of 60 years.
He was born in Detroit on Dec. 23, 1918. From his earliest days he was called “Doug” by his family and friends. During the Depression, his family moved to Chambersburg, Penn., where Doug completed high school and at age 16, and entered Gettysburg College. The family moved to Newaygo, and after finishing the year at Gettysburg, Doug transferred to Grand Rapids Community College, and a year later to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, following his father’s footsteps. There he completed his bachelor’s degree in economics in 1940. While in school, he supported himself by delivering ice, then working at the landmark Pretzel Bell, where he learned the restaurant business.
Doug entered the MBA program, but as war approached, he discovered and obtained admission to the Naval Supply Corps School at Harvard University, emerging as a “90-Day Wonder” ensign in September 1941. He was “Officer of the Day” at Toledo Naval Station on Dec. 7, 1941, when the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was announced.
While stationed in Toledo, Ohio, Doug met Nancy Rucker. They married in 1943 and honeymooned on a train to San Francisco, where Lt. Miller had been ordered to USS Boreas, a refrigerated transport ship. Doug rose to supply officer, managing the food and sundries Boreas carried unescorted across the Pacific and from New Zealand and Australia to American ships and ground forces in forward positions.
Lt. Commander Miller was assigned to duty in Washington, D.C., after the war. He then transferred to Naval Reserve status, attaining the rank of captain in 1960. His love of the Navy was transferred to his heirs. His son, David, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis; his grandson, Douglas, graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2001, earned his helicopter pilot’s wings and has served in Afghanistan; his grandson, Nathan, is in his third year at Annapolis. Doug remained active in several retired military organizations, and enjoyed attending reunions and other gatherings, such as the opening of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
After leaving active military service, Doug and Nancy returned to Ann Arbor. There, Doug completed his MBA program and they opened a restaurant. Their first two sons were born in Ann Arbor; and by 1953 the family had moved to New York, where their third son was born. Doug worked for Caltex Petroleum Company in Manhattan, devising methods and schedules for delivering food and other supplies to Caltex worldwide tanker fleet and shore operations in Asia and Africa. In 1953 Doug lived in Bahrain for eight months as harbormaster, replenishing Caltex ships in the Persian Gulf. In those days, few families accompanied employees when they were stationed overseas.
In 1957 Doug was assigned to manage Caltex’s Indonesian, supply and food service operations in Sumatra, Indonesia. He was in Indonesia for three years, joined by his family for two of them. After returning from Indonesia Doug left Caltex, then became superintendent of the school lunch program in the Katonah-Lewisboro school district in New York. He later added the title of Manager of the Waccabuc Country Club near South Salem, N.Y. From 1963 through 1983 he saw Waccabuc grow from a small, seasonal operation into one open to members year-round.
Despite the stress of long separations during and after the War, Doug and Nancy remained married until Nancy’s death in 2003. They were partners in the true sense of the word: When Doug had to be overseas, Nancy would take on jobs, later taking care of their children, and starting nursery schools in several cities where they lived.
After retiring in 1983, Doug and Nancy traveled all over the world, including China, Korea, Russia, New Zealand and Hawaii. As a sideline, Doug set up a company to import venison from New Zealand, giving him an excuse to travel to New Zealand, which he had grown to love during World War II. In 1999 they sold their house in Lake Katonah, N.Y., and moved to Big Rapids.
Survivors include three sons, Chris (wife Karen) in Atlanta, Ga., and their children, Doug, Andrew (wife Elizabeth), and Sarah (husband Chad) Brown, Steve in South Salem, N.Y., and David (wife Joyce) of Big Rapids, and their children Nathan, Joshua, Samuel and Abigail.
Memorial services will be held for Captain Miller in Big Rapids and Atlanta, with specific dates to be determined.
Arrangements are by the Mohnke Funeral Home.