WALTER WARREN MILLER, JR.
1943-2019
Walter Warren Miller, Jr.. April 27, 1943 – December 31, 1919
Walter Warren Miller, Jr., 76, died New Year’s Eve 2019, in hospice care at Houston Methodist Hospital after a long battle with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, with his beloved wife Linda at his side.
Walter will be remembered professionally for his work with Bechtel, Inc., helping design and build the country’s first nuclear power plants and personally for his life as a loving husband, farther, grandfather, civic leader, and friend in his community.
Born in Panama City, April 27, 1943, to the late Walter (Bill) Miller and Sarah Mae Pyles Miller, Walter graduated from high school in Goldsboro, North Carolina, and North Carolina State University with a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Civil Structural Engineering. Following graduation, Walter was recruited by Bechtel Corporation, beginning a 45-year professional and congenial career in which he traveled the world.
While working on his Master’s Degree at North Carolina State, Walter attended a dance one evening where he met and fell in love with a young, nursing student, Ann Anderson. They married January 22, 1966, in Raleigh, North Carolina, and their son Warren was born the following year in Raleigh, April 13, 1967. The family moved to Silver Spring, Maryland, where Karen, their daughter, was born August 24, 1969. The couple divorced in 1984, but remained good friends.
Walt married Linda Rosenkranz-Miller March
20, 1993. They shared almost 27 years of spirited conversations, lively debate, books, newspapers, music, bridge, movies and popcorn, gardening, tending wildlife, visiting their grandchildren, and solving the world’s problems. Walt will be affectionately remembered for building the Victorian birdhouses in their garden for the visiting mockingbirds, cardinals, and blue jays. Walt and Linda also enjoyed in the escapades of their resident squirrel family and the opossum family living under their back porch.
Walter’s mind was incandescent – he had a brilliant mind. A quiet, studious man, a scientist who lived by logic, reason, deduction, and kindness, he was passionate about politics and world events and read cover to cover three newspapers daily, only to download additional and numerous online journal articles for comparison and conversation. He looked forward each day to solving the New York Times crossword puzzle. An avid reader with an acerbic wit, Walt also enjoyed bridge and classical music, especially the violin. He was a dogged, persistent, nose-to-the-grindstone man. He loved gardening, tinkering in the garage, photographing butterflies, good books, reading, and learning – his library overflowed with books, magazines, journals, music, chess, and bridge games.
Walter is preceded in death by his father, mother, and step-son Gary Geppert.
He leaves behind his wife of 27 years, Linda Rosenkranz-Miller; his son Warren Miller and daughter-in-law Emily Lange of Bethesda, Maryland; and his daughter Karen Beimgraben and sonin-law Craig of Spring, Texas.
Walter is survived by his sister Elizabeth (Cissy) Bell and brother-in-law Tommy of Goldsboro, North Carolina, and their two sons and families Thomas Bell and wife Caroline of Raleigh, North Carolina; and Miller Bell and wife Mary Shannon of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Walter is also survived by step-sons and daughters-inlaw Richard and Pam Geppert of Pflugerville, Texas; and Jay and Andrea Geppert of Wylie, Texas.
Walter was GrandpaPá to Jason, Luke, and Nina of Bethesda, Maryland. He also adored his step- grandchildren Megan, Anna, and Heidi of Round Rock, Texas; Garrett and Bryn of Wylie, Texas; and Jonathan, Pflugerville, Texas.
The family is grateful to Wally Defallow of Houston, Texas, for his many years of professional mentorship to Walter at Bechtel, Inc. and for his support of Walt during his illness.
Active as Treasurer for the Ashford Hills Property Owners’ Association in west Houston, Walter treasured his friends and neighbors there. The family is very grateful for their love and support. A special note of gratitude goes to Sharon Mosby who worked with
Walt on many projects and made many contributions to the community.
Walter’s family gratefully acknowledges Dr. Lawrence Rice and his team at Houston Methodist Hospital, who labored tirelessly for Walt’s health for many years.
Walter will be cherished and loved forever. A family memorial is planned for a later date.