David L. Miller February 08, 1944 – December 24, 2018 Share this obituary Send Flowers Sign Guestbook| View Guest Book Entries| Send Sympathy Card David L. Miller was born February 8, 1944 in Mason City, Iowa, to Dorothy Wallace and Virgil Miller. He peacefully passed away at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Illinois, on December 24, 2018, surrounded by his loving family. He married Kathleen (Kitty) Colleran on August 19, 1977.
He is survived by his wife, Kitty, son Benjamin and wife Crystal (Jeffries) of Bloomington, Illinois, daughter Catherine Miller-Hunt and son-in-law Jason Hunt of Vermont, Illinois, four grandchildren Matthew, Emily and Collin Miller of Springfield, Illinois, Keelyn Hunt of Vermont, Illinois, many nieces and nephews, and his beloved sister Laurie Johnson of Scottsville, Virginia. He was preceded in death by his parents, two infant brothers, and his beautiful daughter Christina Miller. David earned his B.S. from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, his M.S. from the University of Columbia, South Carolina, and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, all in Sociology.
His area of expertise was “collective behavior”. David enjoyed a 35-year plus career as a Professor of Sociology at Western Illinois University. He enjoyed working with and in the company of the fourth floor Morgan Hall professors and staff.
David was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church in Macomb and was an active member of the Knights of Columbus. He was a fourth degree Knight of Columbus. He was service-oriented and gave freely of his time for the benefit of others.
He especially enjoyed organizing and working with his Brother Knights at the annual fish fries, the annual Park -n- Cruise events, and the annual Santa-and-a-movie event. In the mid-eighties, he lived in London, England for a year where he taught for the former Western Illinois University S.A.I.L. program and did research at the University of Leicester, U.K., for his textbook “Collective Behavior”.
His family was able to accompany him at those times and they traveled to Scotland and Ireland during the breaks. He also traveled to the Yucatan with W.I.U. archaeologists. David enjoyed woodworking, gardening, and building model ships and airplanes.
He loved cooking for family and friends and playing with his grandchildren. He was a kind, generous, witty, and loving man who will be greatly missed by many, especially his family. Memorial Mass will be 11 AM Friday Jan.
4, 2019 at St. Paul Church, where visitation will be Thursday Jan. 3, from 5-7 PM, with a Wake Service at 7 PM. Father Adam Stimpson will officiate.
Burial of ashes will be in St. Paul’s Cemetery. Memorial Contributions may be made to St. Paul School or Loaves and Fishes. Dodsworth-Piper-Wallen Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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