Robert “Bob” Miller, 89, passed away peacefully on August 24, 2026. He will be remembered as a proud father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and Navy veteran.
Born on May 5, 1937, in Knoxville, Tennessee, Bob joined the United States Navy as a young man and served eight years in the Navy’s engineering department during two tours of duty from 1954 to 1958 and from 1961 to 1965. During his military service, he served aboard two aircraft carriers and two destroyers, completing four WESTPAC deployments. His travels took him throughout the Pacific, patrolling the waters between China and Taiwan and visiting ports in Japan, Hawaii, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
While stationed in Everett, Bob met Bernita Ledford. The couple married in 1958 and welcomed their son, Richard, in 1959.
Bob eventually settled in Southern California, where he spent the next 60 years living along the coast. After leaving military service in 1965, he began his civilian career threading pipe for $1.85 an hour before moving into the oil industry. He retired in 1997 after 32 years of dedicated service with Signal Oil & Gas, later Shell Oil.
During his years in California, Bob shared more than 35 years of companionship with Ann Barber, who held a special place in his life. In April 2021, he returned to Washington and made his home in Marysville, where he spent his final years surrounded by family.
Above all else, Bob cherished his family. Nothing brought a bigger smile to his face than attending his great-grandchildren’s sporting events, hearing about their latest accomplishments, or sharing stories about those he loved. He was known for proudly showing off family photos and telling anyone who would listen about his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Bob is survived by his son, Richard Miller, and daughter-in-law, Becki; his adopted daughters, Natasha, Lynn, and Gail; his grandchildren, Lindsey Watkins (Neil), Ryan Miller (Melissa), and Violet Miller (Evelyn); and his great-grandchildren, Amelia, Rory, Kollin, Atlas, and Sutton.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert “Sam” and Pauline Miller; his brothers, Ralph and Carson Miller; and his special friends, Bernita Lewis (Ledford) and Ann Barber.
Bob’s legacy lives on in the family he loved so deeply, and in the many lives he touched with his kindness, humor, and generosity.