Ed Miller

Ed Miller died December 23, 2018 at the Chatham Health Alliance after a precipitous but mercifully brief decline in health. His death came just two days short of what would have been the 42nd anniversary of the wedding day to his second wife Helen on Christmas Day, 1976.

Ed was 105 years old, and just prior to his death may have been the oldest living Canadian WWII veteran. Ed served during the War as an aircraft mechanic, maintaining the Lancaster bombers that flew over Germany.

Many people used to ask Ed what might be the secret of his long life. He gave various answers, some serious, some flip. Those who know him best share the consensus that his longevity was the result of the combination of his irrepressible friendliness with everyone he met, and his positive outlook on life. He didn’t complain; he didn’t dwell on his losses, and he had more losses in his life than many of us ever face in a shorter life; he looked for the good in people; he was thoughtful and kind, though seldom overtly emotive.

Ed was known as a gregarious and helpful person to his family, friends and neighbours. He seldom if ever engaged in gossip, preferring to find the best and say the best about everyone. He was known for his visiting of the lonely. He spent many volunteer hours helping out with Cedar Springs United Church, Camp Kenesserie, Craford Cemetery and the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 185.  As a vocation Ed was a carpenter, both free lance and as a long time employee at the Southwest Regional Centre.

Ed was the son of Frederick Miller (1886-1974) and Mary (nee Learn, unknown-1960), and the brother of Donald (1911-1993), Velma (1912-1914), Gordon (1914-2009), Margaret (1916-1979), Douglas (1919-2018), Winnifred (1924-) and Janet (1926-2017), all of whom but Winnifred have predeceased him.

Ed was predeceased by each member of his first family his wife Catherine (nee Cheyne), daughter Velma and son Alexander. He was also predeceased by his second wife Helen (nee McGuigan, 1920-2013).

Ed leaves behind his grandson Chris Miller and his wife Alanna, their children Clara and Will, his granddaughter Tara Miller O’Donoghue and her husband Aidan, their children Alexandra and Abby, his sister Winnifred (1924-), his stepson Michael Nash and his wife Linda, their son Daniel and Michael’s older sons Gabriel and Samuel, and many nieces and nephews, all of whom loved him and will miss him.

A Memorial Service for Ed will be held at Trinity Anglican Church, 59 Ellen Street, Blenheim on Saturday January 12, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. followed by a reception at the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 185, Blenheim.

In lieu of flower donations, the family would value in memoriam donations to the Mission and Service Fund of the United Church of Canada https://www.united-church.ca/tags/mission-and-serivce or the Nature Conservancy of Canada https://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/