James M. Miller, 83, spent 30 years with IBM
June 20, 2024
James Michael Miller of Heritage Plantation died June 10. He was 83
He was born Aug. 21, 1940, in Sturgis, Mich., the son of Lamar and Mable Robbins Miller. After high school, he attended the University of Michigan and earned an engineering degree. In 1960 he married Pamela Gelvin, his high school sweetheart.
After college, Mr. Miller worked for General Dynamics in San Diego in a management development program and on the Atlas missile program. In 1964, he joined IBM and worked in systems engineering, sales, software development and management in Peoria, Ill., Chicago, South Bend, Ind., and Dallas. He retired from IBM after 30 years and moved to Pawleys Island.
Mr. Miller enjoyed playing tennis, golf, bridge, traveling and reading. He was a volunteer computer class instructor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and a volunteer math tutor for elementary, middle and high school students in Dallas and Pawleys Island. He also enjoyed working with other horticulture volunteers at Brookgreen Gardens for more than 15 years.
He was a member of the Lutheran Church all his life and served as a youth group director, usher, greeter and on stewardship and fellowship committees. He was a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church for more than 20 years.
He is survived by his children, Todd Miller (Debra) of Las Vegas and Mark Miller (Tammy) of Flower Mound, Texas; his daughter-in-law, Jill Miller of Bel-Air, Md.; his grandchildren, Zachary, Aaron, Alyssa, David, Zhanna, Nadia and Samantha; his brother, Jerry Miller (Verda) of New Port Richey, Fla.; his brothers-in-law Bob Schlage of Holly Springs, N.C., and John Gelvin (Debbie) of Sturgis; and many nephews and nieces.
Mrs. Miller died in 2022. Another son, Jon, and his sister, Cheryl, also died before him.
A celebration of life service will be held June 28 at 10 a.m. at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society for research.
