Duane "Buz" Frank Miller

Duane “Buz” Miller

January 13, 1930 – August 24, 2015

Duane “Buz” Miller passed away early Monday morning at Valley Manor Nursing Home with his daughter, Terri, by his side. He had Alzheimer’s and other complications for which he had been under Hospice care for many months.

He was born January 13, 1930, in Montrose Colorado to Jesse Frank Miller and Edith Pearl (Speckelmier) Miller. He grew up mostly on Spring Creek Mesa, as his dad was a farmer.  He attended Oak Grove Elementary School and Graduated from Montrose High School in 1948.  He worked for Cliff Baldridge at City Market during high school and saved up enough money to buy the 40-acre farm on North Mesa for his parents to retire, as his dad had always been farming for other people.

After working for City Market, he went to work for Bud Loesch at the feed stores in Delta and Montrose.  He then went to work at Western Colorado Power Company (now DMEA), which was a subsidiary of Utah Power & Light (now PacifiCorp) where he started out in maintenance, then soon became a Lineman, then later a Line Crew Supervisor.  His last few years before retirement, he worked for Utah Power & Light in Green River, Utah.  He was also enlisted in the Army National Guard during for over 10 years.

‘Buz’ met Beverly Hale of Delta, Colorado, exactly 5 years to the day before they were married, but they didn’t actually start dating until about a year before they were married when they met again at the Arcadia Dance Hall after Beverly had moved to Montrose to work as a telephone operator. They were married on March 14, 1954, at the Delta Christian Church.

He is survived by his wife of 61½ years, Beverly J. (Hale) Miller; one daughter Terri E. Miller of Montrose, Colorado; one son, Larry D. Miller ( and wife Christy) of Montrose, Colorado; three grandchildren, Amanda Marchini of Merced, California, Belinda Alvarez of Merced, California, and Cody Miller of Olathe, Colorado; and three great-grandchildren, Isabella, Noah, and Amelia Alvarez of Merced, California.

He was preceded in death by both of his parents, Jesse F. Miller and Edith Pearl Miller;  two brothers, George Miller and Harold Miller; and three sisters, Ruby (Steele) Morlang, Christine Barrell, and Sylvia Miller (infant).

There will be a viewing/visitation on Friday, August 28, 2015 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Crippin Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral Services will be Saturday, August 29, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. at Crippin Funeral Home Chapel and Interment will immediately follow the service at Grand View Cemetery, west of Montrose.

HopeWest Hospice has been a Godsend to our family for the past many months, so, in lieu of flowers, we would greatly appreciate donations be sent to: HopeWest Hospice, 725 S. 4th St., Montrose, CO 81401.