John R. Miller Jr.

John R. Miller Jr., 73, of Lafayette, passed away at 11:35 a.m. Friday, Aug. 2, 2013 at St. Elizabeth East Hospital.

Born Aug. 15, 1939 in Marion County, he was the son of the late John R. Miller Sr. and Lorene (Sawyer) Miller.

John was a 1957 graduate of Greencastle High School and went on to earn a degree in agronomy from Purdue University in 1963.

On June 24, 1961 in Greencastle, John married Patricia S. "Pat" Steele, and she survives.

Following graduation from Purdue, John served with the United States Army and was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant in 1965. After discharge, he worked in the feed mill industry in Minnesota for two years, and then returned to Parke County in Indiana and worked in soil conservation for a brief time.

Upon moving to Lafayette, he worked at the former Anheuser-Busch plant for four years. John then decided to become a long-distance truck driver, working for Mayflower Moving and Storage, United Moving and Schneider Trucking until 1978.

He then focused his energy on building his house and then a second home near Lafayette. Then, in 1982, he founded John Miller Construction, working in the construction business until retiring in 2001. While in the construction industry he earned his journeyman plumber's license.

John was a member of the Buck Creek United Methodist Church where he had served as a trustee, a member of the former Transitville Masonic Lodge where he was a Past Worshipful Master and former secretary, a life member of the Battle Ground Masonic Lodge, the Farmhouse Fraternity at Purdue and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

John enjoyed camping and fishing with his family and friends, and attending car races, especially NASCAR and Indy car events such as the time trials in Indianapolis and the Indianapolis 500 race.

Surviving with his wife, Pat, are two sons, James A. "Jim" Miller of Lafayette and Daniel L. "Dan" Miller of Toronto, Canada; one brother, Richard L. Miller (wife, Elizabeth) of Freeport, Maine, and two grandchildren, Laura Hipps (husband, Nathan) and Joseph Miller Bramer.

He was preceded in death by a son, Steven R. Miller, and a sister, Lois J. Kersey.

Visitation is set for 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6 at Hippensteel Funeral Home, Lafayette. Services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7 in Hippensteel Chapel with Pastor Dwight Monical officiating. Burial will follow at Tippecanoe Memory Gardens.

The family requests memorial contributions be made to the Buck Creek United Methodist Church or the American Heart Association.

Hippensteel Funeral Home was entrusted with arrangements. Share memories and condolences online at www.hippensteelfuneralservice.com.