David L. Miller

David Lowell Miller, a man loved by anyone who met him, passed away on August 16, 2023. Although he was 76 years old, he was often complimented on how he looked much younger than he was, which absolutely delighted him. He was born on October 8, 1946, in Reading, Pennsylvania to Clyde Sr. and Florence (Dieter) Miller.

From an early age, David had a strong work ethic. He developed a love for baking while employed at the reknown Hershey Bakery in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and developed a love for music while ushering concerts for Liberace, Jerry Lee Lewis, Frank Sinatra, and others. After graduating from Hershey High School, he returned to Casper, Wyoming and enlisted in the Navy, where he served in the Seabees during two tours in Vietnam and two tours in Japan from 1965 to 1971.

After an honorable discharge from the service, David worked at the Ma Bell Telephone Company and then was accepted into the IBEW Electrical Apprentice program and earned his Journeyman Electrical license. One memorable project he worked on was running the electrical for the Prometheus statue in front of the Casper Public Library. He achieved the well-respected position as a Master Electrician Environmental Tech Operations Specialist for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), where he thrived in his career from 1985 to 2018.

As Dave would say, he got "twitter-pated” and fell in love with Loretta.  They were married on July 24, 1975 and shared a fulfilling 48 years together.  Together they raised two beautiful children, Adam and Anthea, and ensured that life was rich in opportunity and adventure. He instilled in his kids the value of pursuing a meaningful life, including a strong work ethic and a personal walk with God.

David found joy and a deep sense of satisfaction in supporting his family, friends, and community through regular acts of service. His positive outlook on life was contagious and was an encouragement to others. He was an instrumental Boy Scout leader who valued leading by example and would never ask anyone to do something that he wasn’t willing to do himself.  For many years, he and his family would volunteer at the Salvation Army, handing out Christmas toys to families, serving warm dinners (always with a smile and conversation), and his personal favorite, taking teddy bears to the pediatric ward to lift the spirits of the children spending the holidays in the hospital.

David was an original Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member and Casper Mountain Nordic Ski Patrol member. He loved the outdoors and ensured his family experienced the beauty it had to offer by filling the summers with regular camping, backpacking, and fishing trips. One year he even built a snow igloo on Casper Mountain for his wife and daughter to spend the night in. He was a man who had the heart of a teacher and loved sharing his knowledge on a variety of topics, including how to tie a bowline knot (one of many), set up camp, or how to fix darn near anything.

David’s passions were attending his children’s soccer games and school functions, whistling & singing, baking and eating good food, including ice cream, and yodeling, which surprised many. He loved music and the variety the world had to offer - a passion he and his daughter enjoyed sharing together. He would fill the room with a rhythm that you could not help but groove to. David was a man who loved to laugh, tease, and every now and then, play the practical joke on an unsuspecting family member or friend. As long as he could make someone smile, his life’s daily mission was complete.

David was preceded in death by his son, Adam Miller; his brother, Clyde Miller Jr.; his sister, Joan Norman; his lifelong friend, Burt Taylor; and his parents, Clyde Sr. and Florence Miller. He is survived by his wife, Loretta, his daughter, Anthea, and his daughter-in-law, Stacy. David leaves behind a legacy of love through his grandchildren Isaac (Cougar) and Mackenzie (Firecracker).

He was loved by many other family members, including but not limited to, Randy Miller (nephew), Karen Fletcher (niece), Paige Wimmer (niece), Frankie Dale (nephew), Frank and Ellen Choyeski (brother-in-law & wife), Sandy and Ted Bochman (sister-in-law & husband), Sylvia and Chuck Headley (sister-in-law & husband), Bruce, Gail, Steven, & Alicia Rafuse (adopted family), The Taylors (adopted family), and his FAA family.

A visitation will be held from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. followed by a funeral service at 10:00 a.m. on Thurs. Aug. 24, 2023 at Mountain View Baptist Church. A reception will follow.

David was devoted to sharing joy with others suffering from cancer by handing out stuffed animals to fellow patients. In honor of David's giving spirit, the family requests, in lieu of flowers, that attendees bring a stuffed animal to be donated in his memory. Alternatively, memorial trees can be purchased and planted to honor David’s full life lived.