Don W. Miller
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Don W. Miller, 79, of Ledford Road, Harrisburg, passed away at his home on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009, surrounded by his family.
Don was born on July 3, 1929 to the late Louie and Lou Wilson Miller. On Feb. 27, 1970, he was married to the former Coren Groves, who survives.
Don loved basketball and played it well in his high school years. He was the first Wildcat at Carrier Mills High School to score 1,000 points. In his later years, Don learned to fish as a hobby, and got hours of enjoyment from doing it.
He had a long working career, spanning many jobs. He was a painter, former Secretary of State policeman, building contractor, and currently was co-owner, with his wife, of the Miller Army Surplus store in Carrier Mills.
Don belonged to the First United Methodist Church in Carrier Mills and the Young at Heart Sunday School Class of the church.
Survivors include his wife, Coren; children, Joel (Drema) Miller of Pineville, La., Stephen (Nancy) Miller of Longmont, Colo., Nancy (Doug) O'Connor of Carrier Mills, Diane Boien of Carrier Mills and Anita Miller of Longmont, Colo.; his grandchildren, Miller and Chase Craig, Peyton and Landon Miller, Liz (Craig) Olsen, Nick (Tobe) Miller, Asher Miller and Dalton and Dylan O'Connor; three great-grandchildren, Pierce and Grace Olsen and Austin Miller; a sister, Chris (Tony) King of Harrisburg; and his mother-in-law, Catherine Groves.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Dana Overstreet and Lou Eva Lawrence; and a brother, Jim Miller.
Don's request was to be cremated and a memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, 2009, in the Absher-Nicholson Funeral Home in Carrier Mills where the family will receive friends from 5 p.m. until service time. His pastor, the Rev. Joey Dunning, will officiate. A private burial will be held in Salem Cemetery.
The family requests flowers be omitted and memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church or Hospice of Southern Illinois in his memory.