MILLER
HARVEY BERNARD
August 25, 1927 – February 17, 2009
Harvey Miller, stubborn, humorous and opinionated to the end, passed away peacefully Tuesday morning Feb 17, 2009 after a brief stay at St Joseph’s Hospital. He was 81. Harvey was born in 1927 and raised in Zehner, Saskatchewan, with 10 siblings, where he excelled on the playing fields at baseball and fisticuffs. He attended high school in Regina, graduating in 1945. In 1951 he joined the RCAF, and for 24 years served as an Air Traffic Controller at stations McDonald, Moose Jaw, Claresholm, Goose Bay, St. Hubert, 2-Wing France, 3-Wing Germany, Comox (1966-1971), Edmonton, and the Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria, BC. The Yanks had wanted to give Harvey a commendation for saving a crippled B47 over the Atlantic-but ever humble he said that it was “all in a days work”. Harvey liked to joke that he had sobered a few pilots over the years so that they could safely take to the air and defend this great nation of ours. In 1975 he retired from the forces and began a successful interior/exterior painting business and could be found on a ladder with a brush in hand well into his 70s. Harvey was never at a loss to offer tips on any subject to anyone willing to listen. He had many hobbies including wine and beer making. He enjoyed garage sailing, building flying balsa aircraft, feeding wild birds, collecting clocks, stamps, hockey cards, and toys. He was once a member of the local horseshoe club, and was an advocate for vitamins and natural medicine. He was proud of his 5 nephews who played in the NHL, and knowing that the Miller name is on the Stanley Cup. Harvey is predeceased by his brothers Irvin and Norbert, sister Gloria, and son Trevor (1993). He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Helen, and son Gregory (Lynn), and sisters Hilda, Ann, Helen, Ruth and brothers Butch, Lyle and David, and many nieces and nephews.
Friends and family are invited to attend a tea in Harvey’s memory to be held at the family home at 1815 Grant Ave., Courtenay, on Friday, February 27, 2009 between 1:00-4:00pm.