Bruce Miller

Bruce Miller, 79, Bismarck, died peacefully at his home on July 4, 2011. He struggled valiantly and without complaint throughout his illness and in the end was surrounded by his family and devoted dog, Lucy, when he left this earth for his heavenly home. Services will be held at 10:30 am Friday, July 8, at English Lutheran Church in Tuttle, with Rev. Alan Wagner officiating. Burial will be in the Tuttle Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:30 pm until 7:30 pm Thursday, July 7, at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck, where a prayer service will begin at 7:00 pm. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Bruce was born July 17, 1931, to Albert and Pauline Miller. He was raised and educated in Tuttle. Bruce married the love of his life, Valoyce Alm on June 22, 1952, and recently marked 59 years of marriage. He farmed and ranched 3 ½ miles east of where he grew up and took great pride in improving his property by planting trees and other conservation measures and earned the Soil Conservation Award in 1989. Bruce especially enjoyed raising cattle, riding horse, going to auctions and frequenting livestock sales. He was commemorated by the ND Stockmen's Association in 2007 for 50 years of service as a local brand inspector. He served on the Kickapoo Township board for many years. Bruce had a great respect for anything old and collected antiques as well as artifacts that he occasionally discovered on his land. Bruce loved people and had a knack for striking up a conversation with anyone that could talk. He loved life and had so many interests that when you came to visit, he often had you tour his many collections and told stories that went along with all of his treasures. Bruce loved parades and rodeos and often carried the flag on his horse for celebrations in Tuttle. His grandchildren brought him much delight over the years, and he enjoyed watching them as they participated in various sporting and other events. Bruce also passed on his love of homemade ice cream to his grandkids, which has become a family tradition. Bruce and Valoyce enjoyed the thirteen winters they spent in Mesa, AZ. He is survived by his wife, Valoyce, Bismarck; two sons and daughters-in-law, Greg and Roxy Miller, Tuttle, and Tim and Delaine Miller, Forsyth, MT; his daughter and son-in-law, Deb and Rob Sargent, Hazen; eight grandchildren, Kristy Brett Loeks, Barnesville, MN, Jason Nadine Miller, Shakopee, MN, Jordan Jasmine Sargent, Hazen, Ben Savannah Sargent, Bismarck, Hannah Sargent, Fargo, Trista Miller, Billings, MT, Austin Miller, Bozeman, MT, and Lanny Miller, Billings, MT; and five great-grandchildren, Cole, Conner, Addyson, Brielle, and Olivia; two brothers, Leo Jan Miller, Coeur d'Alene, ID, and Duane Miller, Minot; one sister, Bernette Alan Bowen, Charlotte, NC; and two sisters-in-law, Betty Miller, Bismarck, and Kathy Miller, Billings, MT. Bruce had an extraordinary friend, Ron Kraft Sally, who was there for him many times in these last difficult years. Ron took him out to Tuttle for drives in the country to Bruce's son's farm where they ate picnic lunches and observed the harvest or just surveyed the countryside. Bruce was preceded in death by one son, Robin; his parents, Albert and Pauline; four brothers, Archie, Jimmy, Dennis and Donald; and one sister, Lorraine Hertz. Note: If you plan to attend the funeral, please be aware that HWY 36 is closed, and you will need to take I94 to Steele.

Bruce Miller

July 17, 1931 - July 4, 2011