John Norman Miller, Jr. passed away on 28 December 2019 in West Jordan, Utah.
He was born to John Norman and Alyce Griffiths Miller on 31 August 1944 in Milford, Utah. He was the middle of three children with two sisters. His early childhood was spent in Milford, Beaver and Fillmore, Utah before moving to Salt Lake City. He attended Granger High School.
By forging his father's signature, he joined the Navy when barely 17. He was out to sea when he turned 18 and the Captain notified his parents of his whereabouts. While in the Navy he sailed around the world and was stationed in Japan.
After his discharge, he worked in Salt Lake and was recruited to tie a knot on a tire swing for a four-year old boy. This led to him meeting the love of his life and Linda became his wife 28 days later, on 11 July 1969.
They lived in South Salt Lake for nine months before purchasing their current home in West Jordan, Utah.
He successfully completed a course with Advanced Trade School, graduating with honors (straight A's) learning his trade working with automobiles. He also attended Salt Lake Community College to learn the trade of a machinist. His family became his first priority and from necessity he worked in many occupations including mechanic.
He worked for the city of West Jordan when it had fewer that 6,000 residents in many areas including the cemeteries and city parks, garbage pickups and snow removal on city streets, and the installation and repair of water lines and meters.
John then went to work building semi-truck trailer bodies. This taught him many new skills including riveting of metal. He learned the trade of welding and was hired by the state of Utah as a welder. Three months later he became the painter for all the state's heavy-duty equipment. This was a challenge for someone who was color blind, unbeknownst to his employers. He worked for the state for over 25 years before an accident at work required a medical retirement.
He enjoyed camping and fishing with his wife and children. He loved driving on back roads and taking this trail or that just to see where it went. He and his family saw many beautiful and unusual sites, such as a snow white deer and a meadow in the high Uintah's full of lavender flowers. He enjoyed hunting, but never shot a deer.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, January 14, 2020 in the Westland 3rd Ward Chapel, 7265 South 2700 West West Jordan, Utah at 12:00 noon. A visitation will be held from 10:00 to 11:45 am prior to the services.
We have been backyard neighbors for over 50 years and unfortunately we did not know that Johnny had passed away. We had both talked about not hearing his voice in your back yard. Our daughter looked it up for us and we are saddened that your family has gone through the sorrow of losing your husband and father. We send our condolences and pray you have peace as a family after losing your dearly beloved.
