Duane Rolland Miller

Duane Rolland Miller, age 99 of Stockton, Kansas passed away on March 11, 2020 at the Solomon Valley Manor in Stockton. He was born on July 18, 1920 on the homestead at Bow Creek to Harley and Florence (Cunningham) Miller. Duane was a lifetime resident of Rooks County. He attended country grade school at Mt. Lebanon and graduated from Stockton High School with the class of 1939. He married Veda (Orr) on January 22, 1949 at the Woodston United Brethren Church. They became parents of three children: Pam, Kathy, and Danny. Duane joined the Army Air Force during WWII, serving from October 1942 thru December 1945. He began his career with the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service in 1949, where he retired after 30 years. With just 2 weeks of retirement, he began working as a Grounds Keeper at the Rooks County Country Club for 17 years. Duane was a member of the Stockton United Methodist Church and a life member of the VFW Post #8873, Stockton, where he served as a post commander. He was very faithful to all of his club functions. His passion was to always stay busy at home. He rarely stayed idle, always doing a project that required his hands. He even built a canoe at home which was enjoyed by the family at the Rooks County Lake and on the Solomon River. He was generous with his time mentoring youth through the 4-H Club and the Boy Scouts. As a Boy Scout leader, he especially enjoyed his troop trips to Philmont Scout Ranch BSA in Cimarron, New Mexico and a canoe trip in Canada. Duane was a hard-working, loving, patient, kind and dedicated family man; truly a man with a gentle soul. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Veda Miller of the home; daughter, Kathy (Greg) Smith of Fort Worth, TX; son, Danny (Thui) Miller of Topeka, KS; three grandchildren, Kristin McCormick of Las Vegas, NV, Nolan (Ingrid) Miller of Grand Rapids, MI, and Trenton Miller of Colorado Springs, CO; and one great-granddaughter, Ellory Veda Miller of Grand Rapids, MI. Duane is preceded in death by his parents, Harley and Florence Miller; brother, Lyle Miller; daughter, Pam McCormick; son-in-law, DeWayne McCormick; and sister-in-law, Mina Mae Miller. A funeral service will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2020 at 2:30 PM at the United Methodist Church in Stockton with burial to follow at the Stockton Cemetery with military honors by McConnel Air Force Base Honor Guard and the local VFW Post #8873. Visitation will be held on Saturday from 2:00 PM until 8:00 PM with family receiving friends 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to VFW Post #8873 or Solomon Valley Manor and may be sent in care of Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, 723 North First, Stockton, KS 67669.