James Ray "Rat" Miller, 60, a native of Mobile and resident of Fairhope for the past 30 years died Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at home from colon cancer.
He owned and operated Miller Divers Inc., a commercial diving and crewboat company and he represented the third generation of professional divers on the Gulf Coast. His grandfather, Ray Miller, father, and uncle helped build the Bankhead Tunnel in Mobile and he, his father, and uncle were involved in the construction of the Wallace Twin Tunnels.
He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and Nascar racing, but his greatest love was flying his yellow and orange M-Squared ultralight float plane all around Mobile and Weeks Bay.
He was All Conference guard for the Murphy High School varsity football team, built his own hydroplane at age 16, served in the Marine Corps Recon group and spent many happy hours billfishing on his Striker Sportsfisher "Pop Top". The "Richard Petty Driving Experience" at the Nascar track in Atlanta, and flying a Russian MIG at Marathon, Florida were memories he cherished.
He also enjoyed serving as a Deputy Sheriff in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana and later supported law enforcement through the Fairhope Police Department and the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office.
He touched many lives with his direct manner and generosity and will be sadly missed by all that called him "friend". As he liked to say,
"Every day's a holiday and every meal's a banquet!" and "Semper Fi!"
He was proceeded in death by his father, Jimmy Miller, uncles S.L. "Buster" Miller, Mac Miller, and Lynn Miller.
Survivors include his wife of 37 years, Eleanor "Tootie" Miller; son, Chris Miller; one granddaughter, Logan; mother Jackie Miller; brother, Greg (Susan) Miller; many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 14 at Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home in Fairhope. A short memorial service from the funeral home chapel will follow.
Instead of flowers, it was Miller’s wish for everyone to have regular screenings for colon cancer.
Arrangements are by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc., Fairhope.
