JAY MILLER obituary

HARLEM - Jay C. Miller, 75, died Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2005, at Fort Belknap Public Health Service Hospital due to natural causes.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Harlem High School Little Gymnasium with burial following with military honors at Harlem Cemetery.

Jay was born on the family farm southwest of Harlem on June 16, 1930, to Jerold and Ruby (Southwick) Miller. He was raised in the Harlem area and attended schools there and later received the Harlem Veterans Diploma. Jay served in the U.S. Army and received the Korean Service Medal with four bronze service stars.

He married Alice Hay in Harlem on July 5, 1952. Jay worked with his father as a dairyman and was a cowboy. He worked as a heavy equipment operator on Tiber Dam, the interstate highway system and the Yellowstone National Park system. He was the first to work on the Proto Type Mountain Mover for Washington Industries, did roadwork on the missile systems in Montana, and retired from the Harlem Irrigation District as ditch rider.

Jay was a member of the Harlem VFW.

He enjoyed shooting, fishing, work, gardening and “piddling around out back.”

Survivors include his son, Victor J. Miller of Harlem; daughters, Pamela J. (Bill) Conaster and Darla J. (Shawn) Dahl, both of Havre, and Carla J. (Bill) Chambers of Harlem; sisters, JoEllen Thorn of Wedge Field, S.C., and Paulette Leo of Harlem; adopted sister, Mary “Toots” Jeffers of Billings; brother, Milton Miller of The Dallas, Ore.; adopted brother, Kenny Harvey of Billings; 10 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and adopted sons the Indian way, Big John Contway and Ronald Jay, both of Fort Belknap.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Alice Miller, in 1996; infant daughter, Diane Olivia Miller, in 1955; and sister, Colleen “Tiny” Richman.

Memorials may be sent to the Harlem VFW, Liberty Home at the VA Hospital in Helena or Bear Paw Hospices.

Arrangements are by Edwards Funeral Home of Chinook.