John Martin Miller, longtime resident of Hot Springs, died peacefully earlier this week at age 97 at the VA with Jane, his wife of almost seventy years at his side, as was their son, John (Jock). John (class of 1931), Jane (class of 1939) and Jock (class of 1963) were all graduates of Hot Springs High School. John was fortunate in his lifetime to enjoy and master his three passions - golf, hunting and fishing – and share them with the love of life, Jane.

The son of Hugo (Germany) and Gunda (Norway), John spent much of his childhood in Sioux Falls, SD before the family moved to the Chicago area. While his father was Chef at the famed Palmer House, John caddied at an Evanston golf course and thus began his lifelong love of the sport. At age 16, the entire family moved to Hot Springs and lived in the Evans Hotel, his father running the kitchen, his mother managing the Evans dining room and John's older brother Claude working in the bar area.

With the outbreak of WWII, John joined the Army Air Corps, received pilots' training in Santa Ana CA. and was eventually stationed in Deming, New Mexico, where he married Jane Andre. After training as a B-29 Bombardier, John and his crew were deployed to Guam, where they flew the war's longest bombing mission ever in the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre, to the northern-most tip of Honshu, the largest island of Japan.

After the war John managed the Tomahawk Country Club in Deadwood before working for the Federal Government, first in Rapid City and then moving his family to Angostura Dam after its completion to perform inspections and maintenance of the irrigation project. John's next post was the Hot Springs Veterans Admin. Hospital grounds where he was Asst. Chief of the Engineering Dept., participating in the addition of the southern approach road to the VA via the extension of South Fifth Street, draining of the VA pond, and numerous mechanical, electrical, plumbing, concrete and construction projects with the building themselves.

After WWII few could make golf a career sufficient to support a family and so golf remained an important part of his life but not as his vocation. During the years 1945 – 1960, Johnny, as he was known on the golf circuit, won at least once every tournament in the Black Hills and nearby states, including the Black Hills Open, made several proven holes-in-one, and was inducted into the South Dakota Golf Hall of Fame. Uncle John, or Big John as he was known to his extended family, spent hours throughout the state and adjoining Nebraska and Wyoming hunting deer, pheasant, grouse, turkey and chukkers, for his family's dinner table.

After retirement from the VA, John and Jane spent portions of many years in Arizona and Southern and Northern California and enjoyed hours of trailer camping at Deerfield Lake. Johnny was a South Dakotan through and through, enjoying its hunting, fishing and golfing and couldn't imagine living any place else. He was a master at frying up a steak or venison, made a mean spaghetti sauce and Tom-and-Jerry mix, always loved a card game won or a story told, didn't hesitate to share his views, and never encountered a dog or small child that didn't love him. He was the perfect combination of German accuracy and Norwegian fastidiousness. His laugh filled the room, had a great head of hair, and a grin as big as the great outdoors. He truly will be sorely missed, especially by those who loved him so.

John is survived by his wife Jane (Hot Springs), his son Jock/Sandy (Seattle/Hot Springs) and granddaughter Stacia (Seattle); nieces and nephews Bill/Susie Fleming (Rapid City); Pete/Cindy Fleming (Hermosa); Jayne/Grant Linck (Riverton WY), Jim Andre (Aspen), John Andre (CA); Jeff/Janelle Andre (Cody, WY); JoAnn/Lars Flannagan (Riverton, WY); sister-in-law Della Andre (Pierre) and nephews Bill, Craig and Richard plus numerous grandnieces/nephews.

John was preceded in death by his brother Claude (CA), sister Marcia Falk White (Chicago), brother-in-law Walter (Pierre), brother-in-law Carl "Teeny"/Judy Andre (Riverton WY), sister-in-law Eleanor Fleming Lee (Denver/Rapid City) and granddaughter Samantha Andre Miller (Memphis, TN).

The family would like to especially thank the VA Staff and Hospice Representatives for their attentive and empathetic care, as well as the staff at Pine Hills.

Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m., Friday, February 22, 2013 at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, SD, with Pastor Morris Nelson officiating.