Milton Jesse Miller, a loving family man and dedicated physician who held a commitment to the excellence of medicine and service to others, died the morning of July 2, 2007 at Veterans Affairs Health Center in Palo Alto, Calif. He was 91.

Dr. Miller was a symbol of the American success story and an inspiration and champion for all around him. Born to Nolen and Chlora Louise Miller, in Fordsville, Ky. in a log cabin on the family farm with his siblings, Alvin, Martha and Charlotte, he dreamed of being a physician and made it a reality through hard work and perseverance.

Employed at City Service Oil Company at night, he attended the University of Indiana during the day to pay for medical school and provide for his wife, Evelyn Bertha. He graduated from the University of Illinois Medical School and served in the Army and Public Health Service.

In 1945 he moved to Seattle where he completed his residency at the U.S. Marine Hospital and then established a private practice in Internal Medicine and Cardiology from 1951-1986 at Northgate Medical Center and was on staff at Northwest Hospital from 1960-1983.

Dr. Miller had a stellar career in medicine and is remembered for his brilliant ability to diagnose the unknown and bring valuable insights and solutions to his patients. In the days before a person could call 911, Dr. Miller made house calls and emergency visits to his many patients, with his well worn black medical bag and cheerful manner. He was a member of the AMA, WSMA, KCMA, and the Seattle Academy of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Miller and his wife Evelyn retired to Whidbey Island where they continued playing bridge and golf at Useless Bay Golf Club, while enjoying their life at Greenbank beach.

He loved horse racing, fishing, and bird hunting, fast cars and could play a mean game of poker with the guys on his annual hunting trip to Canada.

He had a philosophy that anything was possible to achieve if one was educated and worked hard. He instilled that belief in his daughters, Bonnie Johnson and Marilyn Allen and five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. A true genius, he would read a book on how to do something, bypass the class and go right to applying the information in the real world; whether it was snow skiing or car mechanics.

He was preceded in death by his dear wife Evelyn of 69 years, brother Alvin and sister Martha Hensley; and leaves behind daughters Bonnie (Robert) Johnson and Marilyn ( Dr.Terry) Allen; a sister, Charlotte (Hank) Mazul; grandchildren Jessica and Julia Allen, Dr. Tina (Karl) Neiders, Captain Christopher (Mollie) Baker, Gwendolyn (Andrew) Daly, Jeffrey (Jennifer) Johnson, and eight great-grandchildren, Chase and Haylie Baker, Riley and Allison Neiders, Grace Daly, Samantha, Sierra and Katie Johnson.

Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 8 and 10 a.m. to noon on Monday, July 9 at Vissar Funeral Home in Langley. Services will be held at 12:30 p.m. July 9 at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church in Freeland.

Memorial donations may be made to Northwest Hospital and Medical Center Foundation in Seattle. (www.nwhospital.org/foundation/giving)