More detail on this person: Ron Miller, 78, of
Jonesboro, departed this life on Tuesday, June 28,
2016, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro.
Born January 20, 1938, in West Ridge, Arkansas.
Ron is preceded in death by his parents, Albert
and Lula Miller; brothers Ecil, Ralph, Bill and
Owen; and sister, Elaine Miller McCoy.
Survivors include one brother, Bob Miller of
Jonesboro, two sisters, Betty Smith of Keiser and
Marsha Midkiff of Williamsburg, Virginia, and a
large extended family.
Ron graduated from Mississippi County High
School in 1955 and Arkansas State College in 1959
with a bachelor degree in Social Science and
commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
He became a highly accomplished military pilot,
flying a Huey Helicopter Gunship during three
tours in Vietnam. His lengthy list of military
achievements during his 24 year career includes
two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze
Stars and 21 Air Medals.
Ron was a Master Aviator, and rated in
multi-engine aircraft including the Beechcraft
Baron, the King Air and Queen Air.
Ron retired in Atlanta, Georgia, and shortly
thereafter the dedication of the National Vietnam
Veterans Memorial (The Wall) was scheduled to be
dedicated at 11:00 a.m. on November 14, 1982.
Having served three years in combat, Ron knew he
had to be at the Wall's dedication to honor his
many friends who had lost their lives during that
war. On November 14th, almost 300 Vietnam
Veterans from Atlanta, Georgia, joined the many
thousands at the dedication of the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial--it was an incredible program
which began the national reconciliation between
the American people and those who served there.
Shortly thereafter, President Ronald Reagan
appointed Ron as the Executive Director of the
Georgia Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program,
Inc., a very successful state program that placed
over 3000 veterans in full-time career positions
and captured over $100 million in SBA Direct and
bank-guaranteed loans.
During the next 13 years, Ron and his team earned
many awards and trophies for their outstanding
work with veterans and their families. President
George H.W. Bush awarded Ron and his team with
President Bush's Thousand Points of Light Award at
Disney World Headquarters.
In 1986, Ron contacted Bob Hope and convinced
him to perform a special show at the historic Fox
Theater in Atlanta. The "Salute to Bob Hope" was
standing room only and at the end of the
performance, Ron Miller read a telegram to Mr.
Hope from President Reagan, who thanked him for
his decades of service to our great country.
In 2002, Home Box Office, Inc. selected Mr. Miller
to be the Master of Ceremonies for the world
premiere of the HBO movie, "Path to War" in
Atlanta. Later that year, it won the Golden Globe
Award in Los Angeles.
In 1993, Ron was selected as Associate Producer
of the Vietnam POW documentary, "Beyond
Courage-Surviving Vietnam as a POW." The
documentary took six former POWs back to the
prison camps in North Vietnam. This is the only
production company to film in the infamous Hanoi
Hilton POW Camp prior to it being torn down.
Ron dedicated his life to assisting veterans at
the local, state and national levels. He
established a scholarship program for selected
freshmen cadets at Arkansas State University who
may need financial support.
Ron has been very active with the National League
of POW-MIA Families of Southeast Asia and has
visited with the Recovery Headquarters in Hawaii
and Vietnam. He was active with the League for
several decades and had served as the National
Veteran Advisor for the League. Ron has friends
who are still Missing In Action.
A funeral service will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday in
Emerson Memorial Chapel with Billy Ray Miller, Jr.
officiating.
Burial with full military honors will follow in
Garden Point Cemetery in Etowah. There will be no
visitation.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that
consideration be given to the Beck Pride Center,
P.O. Box 910, State University, AR 72467.
Burial:
Garden Point Cemetery
Etowah
Mississippi County
Arkansas, USA
This information was last updated 07/10/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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