E.E. "Gene" Miller, 88, of DeKalb, Illinois died Friday July 31, 1998 in Kishwaukee Community Hospital.  Services at First United Methodist Church in DeKalb with Rev. Mary Gay McKinney officiating. Burial in Fairview Park Cemetery in DeKalb.

Miller was born Sept. 5, 1909, in Olney, the son of Charles and Esther (Wieland) Miller. He married Mary Terwilliger Aug. 15, 1936, in DeKalb at the family home.

He earned a bachelor's degree in pre-medicine from Washington University in St. Louis in 1931, and a master's degree in psychology from the same university in 1932. He was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity and elected to Sigma Xi national honorary of science.

He worked for the Illinois Department of Public Welfare as the psychologist at Illinois State Training School for Boys in St. Charles from 1933 to 1940. He worked for DeKalb Commercial Body Corporation from 1940 to 1969, where he became owner and president in 1949. He organized and was a charter member and president of the National Truck Body and Equipment Association. He was then manager of the Central Stores, Receiving and Post Office at Northern Illinois University from 1969 until retiring 1978.

He was active on the Wawashkamo Restoration and Preservation Board, the Cottager's Association, The Little Stone Church and The Mackinac Island Yacht Club. He became an Eagle Scout in 1926, served as the president of Chief Shabonna Council for Boy Scouts of America and was chairman of Two Rivers Council. He received the Silver Beaver Award in 1955.

He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of DeKalb for 56 years, where he served as chairman of the official board and was a long-time Lay Leader. He had 55 years of perfect attendance with the Kiwanis Club of DeKalb, where he served as club president in 1947. He established the Key Club at DeKalb High School, served as an advisor for Circle K at NTU, and he helped establish the noontime Kishwaukee Kiwanis Club.

In 1942, he was general chairman of the drive to build the Kishwaukee Family YMCA. He was a long-time member of the Haish Memorial Hospital Board and was on the founding board of Oak Crest Retirement Center. He was active in the United Fund and DeKalb Chamber of Commerce. He was presented a DeKalb Distinguished Service Award by the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce in 1969.

He is survived by his wife, Mary; one daughter, Kay Berke and her husband, Larry, of DeKalb; two sons, Kenneth Miller and his wife, Barbara, of Escondido, Calif., and Douglas Miller and his wife, Connie, of Cape Coral, Fla.; and three grandchildren, Jeff Berke, of Castle Rock, Colo., Andrew Berke and his wife, Pam, of Castle Rock, Colo., and Kendra Berke, of Chicago.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Published in Olney Daily Mail (IL)