Obituary - Joshua Miller

Joshua Miller was born to Marcia Miller Tuesday February 12th 1991, in Havre Montana, and was called home unexpectedly Sunday, May 14th 2023.

While Josh's time on earth was cut short, he's accomplished more than most can in a lifetime. Josh was a 2009 graduate of Havre High School. He then earned his degree in criminal justice from Dawson Community College in 2015, graduating at the top of his class with a 4-point GPA. Since he was a child, Josh knew his true calling.

Shortly thereafter, he relocated to Cut Bank, Montana, to become a police officer. An unfortunate health condition required him to leave his career early. Although disappointed, Josh was never discouraged. He continued serving his community in a variety of ways including becoming an EMT and working for Benefis in Great Falls as part of the Mercy Flight crew. He then returned home to work for Hill County where he worked for the Mosquito District as well as introduced the drone program, acting as Drone Pilot in Command. He was also currently sitting on Havre City Council as an elected official.

While Josh's career calling was criminal justice, his passion was the weather. Josh weathered many storms in his lifetime; but he always made it through, and he grew wiser with each storms passing. He had a deep appreciation and respect for nature. This led him down the road to becoming a storm spotter for the National Weather Service. As storms would roll in, he was the boots on the ground, reporting and issuing warnings across our TV and radio stations, keeping his community safe. His resume grew so impressive that many of the news stations proactively contacted him for content. In turn, he became our local weatherman on KRTV news, where many say he delivered a clear, concise, and informative report in his strong yet reassuring voice. He documented his adventures on his "Chasing the Big Sky" Facebook page.

Whatever Josh did, he did with great care for detail, knowing no job is too small to be done right. He was born a leader with incredible strength. He wasn't afraid to stand out from the crowd; always willing to speak up, often alone, for what was right. His position in City Council often held him at odds with the majority, but he didn't care, he was there to represent those that elected him. Our local fire department crew was especially close to Josh's heart - they are always there to protect and serve the community, and Josh felt it was important to advocate for them.

In June of 2019, he met his soulmate, Cameo MacLennan. Their love was fast, true, and unconditional. They became engaged in December of 2019 and had plans for a tropical destination wedding soon.

If you ask his family, the greatest thing Josh ever did, was to belong to them. He was the calm in the storm and the pillar amongst them. He never had time to dwell on the small things, he was always thinking about the big picture. He was a loving son, fiancé, brother, uncle, and nephew. Over the years, he grew fond of animals, especially dogs.

Josh enjoyed time with his family, especially around the holidays. He was a patriot, enjoying the festivities and freedoms the Independence Day brought; but Christmas was his favorite. Josh's faith, though tested many times, was incredibly strong. He has been instrumental in guiding his godchildren as they navigate life.

Josh is preceded in death by his father, Doug Effinger; brother, Daniel Larson; grandparents, Richard and Clara Larson; uncle, Bill Fisher; cousins, Andrew Fisher and Shane Nichols.

Josh is survived by his mother, Marcia Miller; fiancé, Cameo MacLennan; sister, Jennifer (Larry) Tilleman; aunt, Fran Larson; niece, Mallory Schaub; nephew, Royce Schaub, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

His funeral service will be held at the Fifth Avenue Christian Church, 2 p.m. Monday, May 22, 2023, with Pastor Rick Hodshire officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery.

Please visit Josh's online memorial at http://www.hollandbonine.com to send a card or leave a message of condolence for his family.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to "Tunnel to Towers" to honor and support our military and first responders who continue to make sacrifices for our county (t2t.org) or to an animal shelter of choice.