Obituary of Wilbur Randolph Miller

Dr. Wilbur Miller (Wil) (November 12, 1932) went peacefully to be with the Lord on January 1, 2021. He was known by many in the Auburn, Alabama, and Columbia, Missouri, academic communities. Dr. Miller was a faculty member and dean at the University of Missouri – Columbia for 33 years. Also, he served as Vice President for Development for 12 years at Auburn University, where he retired in 2007. Wil was a native of Lincoln County and a graduate of Elsberry High School, where he will be remembered for his talent in baseball and basketball. Dr. Miller was preceded in death by his mother and father, Pauline Dryden and Charles Clifton Miller of Elsberry, Missouri; and by his first cousin, Dale Henner, of St. Charles, and Dale’s wife (Delores). Dr. Miller is survived by his loving wife, Dr. Marie Kraska-Miller, of Auburn, Alabama. He will be remembered by sons, daughter, grandchildren, and a host of friends in Lee County, Alabama, where he and Marie lived, as well as the Lincoln County, Missouri community, where he played baseball for several town teams. After graduating from High School, Wil attended Southeast Missouri State University, where he was a founding member of the Alpha Phi Chapter of the Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity. Later, Wil transferred to the University of Missouri, where he earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in industrial and technical education. As a professional educator, he held positions as a teacher and administrator at the secondary and post-secondary levels. At the post-secondary level, he is best remembered as a doctoral adviser for more than 100 doctoral students who served in universities and state departments of education in more than 25 states. A private memorial service was held to celebrate Dr. Miller’s life. His son, James, delivered the eulogy to honor his father. “Amazing Grace”, “In the Garden” and "Holy, Holy, Holy" were sung at the service.