Tom "Tommy" Miller

Lincoln County and the state of West Virginia has lost a true educational proponent and innovator. Tom (Tommy) Miller, Jr., in true cowboy fashion, rode into the sunset on September 1, 2017. Tom served 39 years in multiple educational roles (the majority being in the Lincoln County School System), believing that education was the pathway to success. Tom received his bachelor’s degree in 1967 and subsequently earned 3 Masters Degrees. He worked to help others achieve their GED certificate, to learn trades and helped manage the Lincoln County School System later in his career as Assistant Superintendent. Following retirement, he continued to work as an educational recruiter and program developer both within West Virginia and the East Coast. Tom received numerous awards and recognitions over the years, but always remained a teacher, at his core. There was not a quicker mind relative to the details of history or the occasional game of Trivial Pursuit, which he could dominate. An avid reader and learner throughout his life, he passed on the love of reading and the importance of understanding and awareness to his students and his three children.
Dad rose from modest means as a child running the hills and dirt roads of his family’s Nine Mile Farm. Truth be told, those days were the most impressionable for him and no memory ever quite equated the time spent on that farm or his experiences as a boy. His heroes were always cowboys, to the day he died. He instilled fortitude, tenacity and perseverance, in his children. He expected that this be demonstrated, along with compassion for others and a broad view of the world. You could go anywhere from Lincoln County, WV- you just needed to work hard and apply yourself. Although he lived much of his life by a “cowboy code”, his children or grandchildren, never went to bed or left his presence without him telling them that he loved them. It was often a running joke among his son’s how much younger friends enjoyed spending time with Tom: the classics never go out of style. Golf was a constant source of enjoyment, comradery, and a means to bridge differences. Tom loved the game and was good at it- it was a metaphor for life in many ways- patients, finesse, control, dedication. His style of dress became somewhat of an enigma unto itself- no one could quite pull off plaid pants and a pink shirt like Dad could!
Sincere appreciation to our family- they stepped in, helped out and looked out throughout Dad’s fight. The loyalty and allegiance among Dad’s friends is from a different era. Until the day he died, Johnny, Vernon, Ralph, Rick, David, Dallas, Skip, Golden, Lee, Tom, all remained “ tuned in” and would often just show up and give Mom a break from her primary caregiver role. These guys understood loyalty: brotherhood- they adhered to a level of integrity that is not often demonstrated these days. Gentlemen, we love you for that-God bless each of you- you define character and class.
He was preceded in death by his father, Tom Miller, Sr. and his mother, Kesleen (Carper) Miller. Tom is survived by the love of his life, his wife Donna, who knew early on she was in for a wild ride. He first saw Donna and her ponytail when they were both students at Midkiff Elementary School, later commenting how cute he thought that little girl was- her initial impression was that he was a little spoiled, in that he had his own pony, rare for that time. Once getting past this, her love for him was unparalled- we should all be so lucky. Dad’s love for her, unequalled. In addition to his wife, he is survived by three heartbroken children and 5 grandchildren (who greatly loved their Poppy/Papaw), Thomas III, his wife Joyce, their daughter Gianna, his daughter Jenny (McClung), her husband Thadd, their children Ayden and Sawyer, and his youngest son William, his wife Stephanie and their children Madilyn and Avery, his sister Anita Yvonne (Purdee), her children Dana (Mike) a Hinton and Billy (Angie) Purdee.
Dad believed in integrity. He believed that when the situation was right, we would all rise to meet our potential. He believed in the greatness of West Virginia and its people.
Montani Semper Liberi.
Good bye, Pop –We love ‘ya.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Monday September 4, 2017 at Handley Funeral Home, Hamlin, WV. The burial will be in the Goldsbury Cemetery, Sias, WV. A visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.