Gerald Ray Miller, 79, of Paris, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, at Pine Tree Ranch Assisted Living.
Services are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Friday, Dec.31st at Bright-Holland Funeral Home with Rev. Doug Holt officiating. The concluding service, with Rev. Harvey Blackshear officiating, will be at Tigertown Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to the service.
Mr. Miller, the son of Marvin & Lorene Y. Preston Miller, was born May 23, 1942, in Howland, Texas.
Gerald graduated from Delmar High School, and then worked at Uarco for 17 years. He then began a career with the Paris Fire Department that spanned 21 years before his retirement.
He loved cars, swap meets, antique cars and especially his ’57 Chevy and his ’40 Chevrolet Pickup that he restored. Gerald had many hobbies and interests; collecting gasoline signs and memorabilia, deer hunting, mowing his yard, burning leaves, traveling, and spending time at his family cabin where he enjoyed burning brush piles and shredding.
Gerald loved watching his granddaughters play sports, he loved playing games with his friends, and he was always a big teaser.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Steve Miller, a brother-in-law, Jim Missildine, and a nephew, Jason Miller.
Survivors include his wife, Latricia Blackshear Miller, whom he married on Dec. 7, 1963, building 58 years of family and memories, three children, Michelle Williams & husband Allen, Michael Miller & wife Sarah, and Misty Ray, three grandchildren, Ashley Anderson & husband Ben, Mallory Miller & fiancé Stoney Johnson, and Sydney Williams, two great grandchildren, Julianna Anderson and Justin Anderson, siblings, Margaret Missildine, Nellie Wilkinson & husband Edward, and Joe Miller & wife Brenda, two sisters-in-law, Carolyn Miller and Brenda Grooms & husband Ronnie, several cousins including Larry Crabb whom he thought of as a brother, a number of nieces & nephews, and a host of friends including his coffee shop buddies whom he had coffee with at Nancy’s Cafe.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the ladies at Pine Tree Ranch Assisted Living for the love and special care they gave Gerald, and a special thank you to April and Cassidy with On Call Hospice for their compassionate care.
The family requests that memorials be made to the Tigertown Cemetery or to the Slade Baker Memorial Scholarship Fund through the Paris Fire Department.
Casket bearers will be Stoney Johnson, Ben Anderson, Brandon Grooms, Wade Julian, Drew Miller, Josh Hostetler, Brad Miller, and W. H. Brumley. Honorary bearers will be: D. C. Ford, Joe Miller, Larry Crabb, Larry Williams, Kenny Poole, Steve Ladd, Mike Head, Johnny Edwards, and members of the Paris Fire Department.
To leave a message or tribute for the family please visit www.brighthollandfuneralhome.com