James Richard Miller

James Richard "Coach" Miller, 79, entered his eternal healing and rest on Sunday, October 2, 2022, with his wife Karen by his side. Their daughter Erika (Tanner) Suttles, with their children Lincoln and Jordan Suttles, North Carolina, and son Adam (Erika Freeman) Miller, Upland, and his daughter, Jaeli Miller, also survive.

Born March 15, 1943, to the late Phillip Johnson Miller and Josephine (Erler) Miller, he attended Jefferson Twp. schools, graduating in 1961. At Jefferson, he played varsity basketball and baseball. Following graduation, he attended and played varsity basketball and baseball at Taylor University, Class of '65. After Taylor, he earned his Master's in Education in 1966 and later completed his educational administration degree, both at Ball State University. He was a member of Phi Delta Kappa during college.

He continued his athletic endeavors after college through AAU travel basketball and baseball and through developing young athletes at Fairmount and Madison-Grant High Schools, where he began teaching in 1966. Many athletes who participated during his 11 years of coaching basketball and his 15 years of coaching track and field still call him "Coach." Every call, text, visit, or chance meeting with his former athletes brought him joy. Other students will remember his firm, fair, and humble manner in mathematics, physical education, health, and driver education classes, as well as FCA chapter meetings. His coaching continued with Erika, Adam, and Jaeli's youth league participations up through high school track and field as a volunteer at Gas City and Mississinewa.

He met his wife, Karen (Silvers), when she began student-teaching at Madison-Grant in the fall of 1971. They were married on October 22, 1972, at the Evangelical Mennonite Church, now Upland Community Church, Upland, by Pastor Jim Mathis, and witnessed by his wife, Joan.

In 1979, Jim and Karen were charged with organizing and leading work teams to Haiti. Those teams built churches, hospital additions and repairs, and a guesthouse for medical teams to the Wesleyan Hospital on the island of LaGonave. Jim also led teams of Taylor students to expand an orphanage in Port-au-Prince in 1984 and 85. Their last trip was in 2015, when Erika and Tanner were married at L'glise Wesleyenne d'Haiti, Plain Mapou. Jim and Karen continue to advocate for Haiti missions through Pierce Church, Upland, Christ's Service Church (formerly Pleasant Grove UMC), Hartford City, Green Center UMC, Albion, and Upland Community Church. The Haiti Lunch Program, which feeds over 400 students weekly at Plain Mapou, grew out of a Haiti prayer group in Upland over 20 years ago. Mission board member work at Upland Community Church, Monroe Jefferson Helping Hands, and Pierce Church are also a part of Jim's legacy.

Though Jim had part-time jobs as a ready-mix truck driver, an EMT with a private ambulance service, a life insurance agent, and most recently with sharing a German medical device, he always found the days away at a Lake Webster family cottage a welcome reprieve. From childhood and teenage learning as an Eagle Scout to teaching his kids to fish, swim, and ski, he relaxed best at the lake.

Friends will remember his talent for telling engaging stories and wearing his noted "Jim Grin" when he was caught doing something outside that either Karen or his doctors had given directions otherwise. He thoroughly enjoyed taking his dog Sheba on his shopping trips.

Retiring from Madison-Grant in 1999 and Roseburg Alternative School in 2004, he found a brotherhood of friends at The Gray Barn Men's Fellowship in Upland every Tuesday afternoon. He was known to always be casting a net to bring someone new into the fold. He was nicknamed there as a "cat with nine lives" because of his multitude of health issues and recoveries over the past 30 years.

Jim and Karen began to realize in recent years that the physical trials were actually part of Jim's ministry here as his struggles brought many to pray, learn to pray, and to grow in faith as those healing prayers were answered through either direct intervention, medicines, surgeries, or adjunct therapies. These trials he endured with a humble spirit, strength, and dignity, bringing health caretakers closer to faith and belief in Jesus Christ.

Additional survivors include: Brothers: Phillip Edward Miller, Upland, and children Chuck (Megan) Miller, Missouri, Mark Miller, Alaska, and JoEllen (Dustin) Miller of Texas;

John F. (Rhonda) Miller, Upland, and children Matt (Melissa) Miller, Bloomington, Beth (Michael) Parker, Ft. Wayne;

Mother-in-Law: Ileen Silvers, LaFontaine;

Brothers-in-Law: Dale (Carol) Silvers, and children Rochelle (Will) Heffner, Tiffanie (Doug) Britt, Joshua (Crystal) Silvers, all of Atlanta;

Daryl (Jennifer) Silvers and daughter Ashley (fiancé Elijah Olson), Naples;

Doyle Silvers and children Alvin Lamoine Silvers, II and Lyndzy Silvers, LaFontaine;

Lamoine (Stacy) Silvers, Wabash, and children Carrie (Ned) Williams, Marion, and Kelsie Silvers, Wabash;

And granddaughter Jaeli's mother, Jamie Kidwell (Zach) Pierson and children, Jim's "adopted" grandchildren, Journey and Navy.

Special Haitian family and friends survive at Plain Mapou, LaGonave, Haiti, and in Florida.

Extended family survive in California, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

In addition to his parents, Jim was preceded in death by paternal grandparents, Forrest (Ethel Johnson) Miller; maternal grandparents, Edward (Estel) Erler, Michigan; father-in-law, Alvin Lamoine Silvers, LaFontaine; adopted Christian mother, Miss Gertrude Fulk, Missionary to Haiti of Albion, Indiana; and Paulgar Delicieux, Pastor at L'glise Wesleyenne d'Haiti, Plain Mapou.

The family wishes to thank the medical personnel at Ascension St. Vincent's for their care during the past 30 years, especially cardiologist, Dr. Janet Rippy; hematologist, Dr. Magdelena Lewandowska with IHTC; primary care physician, Dr. John Carter, Albany; Dr. Jared Himsel, Vital Connections Chiropractic, Fishers; and Neil Thornburg, LMT, Noblesville.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Jones-Smith Chapel of Armes-Hunt Funeral Home and Cremation Services. A visitation will be held on Friday, October 21, from 2:00 - 8:00 p.m., at Pierce Church, 201 North 8th Street, Upland, Indiana, and two hours prior to the funeral service. A funeral service will be on Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. Burial will follow at Jefferson Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Haiti School Programs in care of Pierce Church, or plant a tree. Online memories and condolences may be shared at www.armeshuntfuneralhome.com.