Obituary of Donald Miller

Elgin - A service to celebrate the life of Donald Burton Miller, 86, will be held on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. at Powers Funeral Home, Lugoff. The Rev. Luther Harmon will officiate. The family will receive friends Thursday 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. Burial will be held Friday, December 20, 2024, at 9:00 am at Fort Jackson National Cemetery in Columbia, SC. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Heart Association at www.heart.org.

Mr. Miller, husband of 58 years to the late Cynthia Lou Myers Miller, passed away on Monday, December 16, 2024, at Prisma Health Richland. Born in Englewood, N.J., he was the son of the late John Burton Miller and Hope Violet Holmgren Miller.

Mr. Miller was an alumnus of Wake Forest University and served in the United States Army where he was a 1^st Lieutenant. He retired as a New York Life insurance agent after 44 years. 

Don was known by many names - Daddy, Grandpa, Pepa, Miller Don, Papa, and Papa Great. He enjoyed working in his yard (mainly having a fire), birdwatching, relaxing in the hammock, and reading, He kept up with current politics and had no problem voicing his opinion – his alter ego was “Super Republican!”

In his earlier years he enjoyed playing racquetball, and he kept an active lifestyle as long as possible. He coached his son Dan and friends in different sports, and Dan’s friends all loved him.

Papa Great enjoyed teaching some of his great-grands to play chess, and he enjoyed time with all the grands and great-grands, attending their different activities. Don never met a stranger. He loved talking to people. Don enjoyed trips with family, especially his bride, Cynthia. He enjoyed a variety of music.

Don was proud to be a Demon Deacon and encouraged most every young person he met to attend Wake Forest University. 

While we know Cynthia is happy to have Don with her again, we’re pretty sure she wanted to know why he arrived early!

Left to cherish his memory are his daughter, Yvonne Miller Vaughn (Sean) of Elgin; son, Hugh Daniel Miller of Elgin; brother, Jack Miller (Sally) of Malone, N.Y.; grandchildren, Alyssa Maner (Chris), Kayla Brimson (Robbie), and Hannah Thomley; step-grandchildren, Jamey Vaughn (Brenna), Nathan Vaughn (Shelby), and Abbe Vaughn; and great-grandchildren, Ryleigh Brimson, Ford Maner, Keegan Brimson, Tate Maner, and Charlotte Vaughn.