Glenn W. Miller, 97, entered into the presence of his Savior, as he passed away peacefully on December 13, 2020 at the home of his daughter, Julie Jones in Montgomery Texas. Glenn was born on February 6, 1923 in Nappanee, IN to Jacob and Mary Ann Miller. The family moved to Archbold in March 1936 where he attended Ridgeville High School.
Glenn volunteered for the US Navy draft in the spring of 1943 and was called for duty in November of that year. He served in the Pacific arena for 3 years. Among other assignments he served as a signalman using Morse code light systems, semaphore and flag signaling. He was promoted to Seaman 1st Class and stationed out of Treasure Island in San Francisco. Glenn was part of the “armed guard” of Navy personnel assigned to a Merchant Marine supply ship. He saw hostile action at Ulithi Atoll in 1944 during a Japanese submarine attack. After the war, he made logistical trips to China, Japan and Korea and was discharged from the Navy in April of 1946.
During one of his military leaves, he met Anna Bruot and told his shipmates later that he had met a very pretty girl and he was going to marry her. He did just that on July 26, 1947. Anna Bruot Miller preceded him in death on July 28, 2013 after 66 years of marriage.
Glenn and family were members of First Baptist Church – Stryker, OH dating back to the early 1950’s. He helped start the Montpelier Baptist Church – Montpelier, OH in 1973 where he was on the board of Deacons for several years. Most recently, Glenn was a member of Northeast Houston Baptist Church in Humble, TX.
Glenn was employed at Sauder Manufacturing in Archbold for 35 years until his retirement in 1988. Glenn and Anna moved to Knox County Ohio where they enjoyed life in Mount Vernon, Apple Valley and fishing on the lake. They traveled frequently to see family, spent some winter months in Florida and made an international trip to Saudi Arabia and Germany in 1994. Ever the sports enthusiast, with a particularly sharp mind for Detroit Tiger’s pitching statistics, Glenn, and Anna, were also radical Ohio State Buckeye fans to the very end.
Glenn came to salvation in Jesus at age 16 with a dramatic testimony that he wrote about in his autobiography, “From the Womb to the Pearly Gates”. He became a student of the Bible, Sunday School teacher, ministering the gospel of Jesus Christ wherever he went. His regular lay ministry included Cherry Street Mission in Toledo and at his own care facilities in later life. Glenn was always ready to minister to the spiritual needs of his extended family whenever untimely death or disaster occurred.
He is survived by four children, Greg (Kathy) Miller of Cedar Park, TX, Geoff (Angel) Miller of Cape Coral FL, Jodie Nation of Ankeny IA, and Julie (Greg) Jones of Montgomery, TX; 8 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Mabel Myers – Stryker, OH, brother Willard Miller – West Unity, OH, sister-in-law Joanne Miller – Archbold, OH and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Treva Miller, Lulu Stuckey and Edna Rice, brothers Fredrick Miller, Howard Miller and Owen Ray in infancy, sisters in law Lucinda Miller, Mary Miller and brothers in law Russel Myers, Milton Rice and Ivan Stuckey.
A memorial service will be planned at a future date in Northwest Ohio.
The family asks that memorial gifts be given to the “Greatest Gift to Jesus” offering at Northeast Houston Baptist Church, 18000 W. Lake Houston Pkwy, Humble, TX 77346
Memorial Giving: https://tinyurl.com/ya6wneob