Richard Herbert Miller (born on December 6, 1944) passed away on July 30th at home in the care of his wife and daughters after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Rich was a music aficionado with, notably, an encyclopedic knowledge of music from the 1950s-60s. Doo-wops were a clear favorite; in fact, his favorite song in the world- Looking for an Echo, by the Planotones- is about singing them. Singing doo-wops brought him such joy, and when he sang at his daughter Catherine’s wedding, he brought the house down. Rich’s passion for music extended to many genres and musicians, though. Miles Davis, the Beatles, and Mozart were favorites; he would have a list of his top ten works for each. Rich Miller was a list maker extraordinaire. He devoured movies; yes, there is a top ten list. His favorite short story was Melville’s Bartleby the Scrivener. His favorite Shakespeare play was Much Ado about Nothing. He was a Yankees fan who had cheered for the Dodgers in his youth until the team left Brooklyn in 1957.

Before his illness, he reveled in long drives on back roads without requiring maps, since in his view, he always knew the general direction and would get there eventually. Vacations were reached by car no matter the distance, and of course each journey required its own song list. He particularly loved the car rides to visit his cousins in Tennessee. Rich loved to tell stories, especially of his youth, of which at least half must have been true. He also regaled us with tales of his years as an instructor at Northern Telecom, where he worked for nearly thirty years. He was a staunch believer in standing up for justice even if you’re standing alone; he was generous and kind. 

Originally from Jersey City, he met the love of his life in Rutherford, NJ in 1965. He and Evelyn married in 1967 and raised their daughters in Rutherford, moving to Pequannock in later years. He is predeceased by his parents, Frank and Dorothy Miller. He is survived by Evelyn, his wife of 55 years; daughters Ruth Miller and Catherine Sisco (Alonzo); and beloved granddaughter Emma Garcia-Miller. He will also be missed by his extended family and friends, including everyone in the Community of God’s Love in Rutherford, of which he was a member for forty-seven years. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Parkinson’s Foundation or the Lewy Body Dementia Foundation would be greatly appreciated.

There will be a mass to celebrate Rich’s life in the fall.