Joseph Clarence Miller Jr., 81

Joseph C. Miller “Joe” lost his battle with cancer on Aug. 30, 2015, with his loving family by his side. Joe was born June 3, 1934, in Coeur d’Alene to Joseph C. Miller and Harriet (Lee) Miller.

Joe spent his early childhood years on his family’s Dairy at Mica Flats; this is where his strong work ethic was instilled in him. He attended school at the IHM Academy in Coeur d’Alene. The family moved to Cataldo, Idaho, to operate a small Gas & Grocery Store and U.S. Post Office. He graduated from Kingston High School in 1952. He briefly worked at the Bunker Hill Zinc Plant before entering the U.S. Navy in 1953 to serve his country during the Korean Conflict.

He met and married his “Forever Sweetheart” and wife of 60 years, Penny (Shultz) Krogh. They spent two years in the Long Beach and San Francisco, Calif., areas. Joe’s love of Idaho and the Northwest brought them back to the Northwest. They were blessed with two sons, Mark and Kevin.

He decided to pursue a career in the grocery and meat business which led the family to move to Richland, Wash. He started meat cutting at the C & H Foods; it later became Campbell’s. After several years, his desire to get closer to the Coeur d’Alene area brought him to accept a meat cutting position with Rosauers in Spokane. He also cut meat at several other markets as a vacation fill-in.

Always looking for a challenge, he decided to try selling for Hygrade Meats and shortly after that went to sales for Cudahy Bar-S, traveling his sales routes to Eastern Washington, Western Montana and North Idaho. He often took the boys and traveled and developed friendships with many of his clients’ families. He decided to take the challenge of going into business in his own store; he missed the customer contact with the public.

In 1972, he purchased the small store in Spirit Lake, naming it Miller’s Food City, a URM affiliate. The dream of moving the family back into Idaho and working together became a reality. The store has grown, moved to its second location on Highway 41, and into the third building, now Miller’s Harvest Foods, and operated by the family.

He soon became involved in the community with becoming president of Spirit Lake Volunteer Ambulance; he held that office for more than 25 years. He served on numerous committees for Kootenai County EMS, Panhandle Area Development and Paramedic Program for Kootenai County. He loved being active in Spirit Lake, helping in any way he could to improve the community — youth programs were his favorite!

On Nov. 23, 1990, he received the high honor of being selected as President George Bush’s “Point of Light” award for outstanding service to this community. He always loved hiring the young people in Spirit Lake and watching them grow and achieving their own career goals. His pride and joy was the business and working with the family in the business. He often said he lived in the best of times, had the best of friends, and enjoyed fishing, dancing, western music and traveling in the RV with winters in Yuma, Ariz. He will be greatly missed by all who loved him.

Joe was preceded in death by his father, Joseph Miller; mother Harriet (Lee) Miller; brothers, Oren Miller and James Miller; sisters, Mary Ellen Guimond, Kathryn Lake and Francis Arnhold. Joe is survived by his wife, Penny; two sons, Mark (Dianne) Miller of Spirit Lake and Kevin (Carol) Miller of Spirit Lake; grandson Nick (Amber) Miller of Coeur d’Alene; granddaughters, Tiffany (Travis) Gallimore of Spirit Lake and Kendall (Eric) Tinghino of Spirit Lake; great-grandson Ty Gallimore and great-granddaughter Tanna Gallimore, both of Spirit Lake; sisters Pat Woulle of Cataldo, Idaho, Harriet Lawrence of Council, Idaho, Clara Le Cocq of Coeur d’Alene; sister-in-law Dorothy Miller of Cataldo; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

The family would like to thank Hospice House of North Idaho for the wonderful care they gave Joe while he was there. If anyone is inclined, please make donations to Hospice of North Idaho, 9493 N. Government Way, Hayden, ID 83835.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015, at Yates Funeral Home, Hayden Chapel, 373 E. Hayden Ave., Hayden, with a reception following. Please visit Joe’s online memorial and sign his guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.