Obituary for Colonel Donn Gibson Miller, U.S. Army, Ret.

August 9, 1939 - December 24, 2017
Wayne, Pennsylvania | Age 78

Loving Husband, Father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather

Colonel Donn Gibson Miller (U.S. Army, Retired), passed away on the morning of Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017 after a heroic battle with leukemia. He was surrounded with love by his wife, Carol, of 55 years and his children, Kimberly and Donn Scott.

Donn was born on August 9, 1939 in Woodsville, NH. He graduated with a bachelor of science from the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, in 1961 and entered the Army as an infantry officer. Over the next 25 years, he served with great distinction in numerous command, staff, and educational assignments. His foreign service included duty in Korea, Vietnam, and Germany. He served at the highest levels as a Battalion commander, key political-military advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and as a Senior Military Planner for the Chief of Staff of the Army.

Colonel Miller also distinguished himself as a scholar and an educator. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Russian Language and Literature from the University of Pennsylvania in 1968 and then served as an Assistant Professor of Russian at West Point for three years. In 1978, he was the honor graduate from the Naval War College and in 1982 returned to that prestigious school as a Professor of Strategy and Executive Officer for the Strategy Department. While teaching there, Colonel Miller devoted his free time to learning more about education, earning a Masters of Education in Guidance and Counseling from Providence College in 1984. Colonel Miller retired from the Army in 1986. His many decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Bronze Star.

After retiring from the Army, Colonel Miller dedicated his efforts to building men of character. He served for nearly two decades as the Dean of the Academy at Valley Forge Military Academy & College, where he continued to exemplify the West Point motto of "Duty, Honor, Country." He later joined The Haverford School as the chair of the history department where he extended his love for educating young minds and hearts by teaching military history with his collection of vintage armor and helmets which will always be a fond memory of those he taught. He retired from his second career as an educator of distinguished young men in 2011. Donn's joys late in life included riding his motorcycles for hundreds of hours through the back roads of Pennsylvania and New York, and kayaking on local lakes.

Donn is survived by his wife, Carol; his daughter, Kimberly Miller of Wayne, PA; his son, Donn Scott Miller of Claymont, DE; his grandson, Major Matthew Miller and his wife, Bana Miller of Georgetown, TX; his granddaughter, Heather Miller of Baltimore, MD; and three great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two brothers, Barry Miller of Poquoson, VA and Alan Miller of Lake George, NY; three sisters, Carol Maxwell of Nashville, TN, Janet (Dick) Imming of Gainesville, FL, and Elizabeth (Robert) Hesson of Trumansburg, NY; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Edward G. Miller; his mother, Hazel B. Miller; and his brother, Edward Miller.

A local Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13 at the Chapel of St. Cornelius the Centurion at Valley Forge Military Academy & College in Wayne, where friends and family will be able to visit with the family from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. Per his wishes, Donn will be interred later with his fellow fallen classmates on the hallowed grounds of West Point. His family is thankful for his special caregivers from Penn Medicine who treated him with love, respect, and admiration. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Blue Star Families, P.O. Box 230637, Encinitas, CA 92023-0637.

Well done, Colonel. Be Thou at Peace.