Duane E. Miller

Duane E. Miller, 91, passed away peacefully at home on February 12, 2025. He was born in Terre Haute, IN on July 7, 1933 to Olive (Thomas) Miller and Chester Wayne Miller, later graduated from Roachdale High School in 195l, and served in the Army for two years.

  Duane was working in Lafayette, IN when on a lucky blind date, he met his future wife Marlene Burke who embraced his strong desire and goal of becoming a teacher and helped him head to Indiana State Teachers College and back to Terre Haute. 

 They married on June 7, 1958 with Terre Haute becoming their home and St. Benedict’s their church. They would be blessed with 2 children, and the activities of the kids, school, and church enriched their lives. 

 As soon as he earned his degree, Duane was hired as a teacher in the Vigo County School Corporation and began his storied 42 year career at Fuqua Elementary. Always active in all 3 tiers of the National Teachers Association, he wore many hats in the local VCTA, at the state level where he served as a board member and treasurer of ISTA for many years, and was a delegate to many annual NEA conventions.

 As a devout Catholic, Duane was an active parishioner and served St. Ben’s in many capacities from lector and commentator to Eucharistic Minister to serving on the Parish Council. In retirement he became very active in the Soup Kitchen ministry sharing his love of cooking with knowledge of how to add just the right spices for optimum flavor.

 Duane was a proud member of many organizations including the K of C, Kriestenstein Legion Post # 104, St. Mother Theodore Guerin Board, the Vigo County Educational Heritage Foundation, and both the ISU Alumni Association and Sycamore Varsity Club. He loved visiting wineries and enjoying a good red wine, reading nonfiction books of history, attending ISU basketball games where he kept his own stats, loved a good cooking show, and was well known for his outfits which were always coordinated down to his socks and shoes. Above all, he was kind and gentle, loyal to his friends, and dearly loved his family. He was a wonderful husband, dad, PaPaw, and GiGiPaw, and will be dearly missed.

 Duane was preceded in death by his parents, in-laws Mabel (Boitet) Burke and Edmond W. Burke, sister Lolita Epperson, and son Kevin Wayne Miller.

 He is survived by Marlene, his loving wife of 66+ years; daughter Deanna (Brian) Williams of Marthasville, MO; granddaughters Hannah (Greg) Evert of Washington, MO and Allison Williams (fiancé Dylan Hendren) of Columbia, MO; great grandchildren Damien and Lily; Sister-in-law Virginia (Burke) Pilotte and husband Frank Pilotte of Manteno, IL; and special nieces and cousins.

 Special thank you to Hospice of the Wabash Valley and Visiting Nurses Association, including their therapists, for the loving care they provided.

 Services will be held at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church at 111 S. 9th St. on Friday, February 28, 2025 with visitation from 10 until noon, followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 12:05 P.M. with Fr. Bob St. Martin officiating. Interment will follow at Rose Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Duane’s name to the Visiting Nurses, VNA Hospice, St. Benedict’s Soup Kitchen, or a charity of your choice.