Grayson County, TXGenWeb

Gordon L. "Butch" Miller
18 April 1944 - 31 August 2011

SP5 US Army
Vietnam

Sherman - Funeral services for Gordon L. "Butch" Miller, age 67, of Sherman, Texas were held Tuesday morning, September 6, 2011 at Waldo Funeral Home. Rev. Jimmy Parish officiated. Burial followed at Akers Cemetery with Hunter Lynch, Brandon McDonald, Jim Moncrief, John Skerkis, Jack Hanan, Sammy Bryant, Ryan Miller, and Brad Butler serving as pallbearers. Mr. Miller passed away Wednesday, August 31, 2011 in Sherman.
Butch was born on April 18, 1944 in Henrietta, Oklahoma, the son of Jack W. and Lois L. Woods Miller. He served in the US Army from July 1964 to October 1967. After a period of employment at Reed Drill, he worked 26 years at Johnson and Johnson, where he was the Fire Brigade Chief. He was an avid "Hot Rodder" and was a member of the Blast from the Past Car Club. Mr. Miller was a member of the American Legion Post 29 in Sherman and was a Baptist. Butch married Lora McDonald on July 17, 2003 in Van Alstyne.
Lovingly known as "Pops", Butch is survived by his wife Lora "Chris" Miller of Sherman, Texas; daughter, Sherri Lynch of Pottsboro, Texas; son, Dusty Miller and Cheryl Elkins of Luella, Texas; son, Jamie McDonald and wife. Nikki of Sherman, Texas; daughters, Nancy McDonald and Brandon Hill of Sherman, Texas; Angie Styles and husband Mike of Calera, Oklahoma; and LaDonne Bourbeau and husband, Charlie, of Calera, Oklahoma. He is also survived by 13 grandchildren, Cade and Halten Miller, Chase and Ashlea Brown, Meagan and Hunter Lynch, Kayla and Taylor McDonald, Brandon McDonald, Camden and Laynie Hill, Andrew and Austin Hill. He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Jackie Green.

Sherman - Lora Miller was born July 18, 1952 in Niagra Falls, New York, daughter of Michael J. Steep and Lora Jean Hoganson. Her father passed away in 1953 so she was raised with the only father she ever knew, Harry A. "Skip" McGarrigle. As a child in a military family, they traveled around a lot. All of her siblings were born in different states or countries, except the 2 oldest, who were both born in Arizona.
Lora married James "Jamie" M. McDonald on June 5, 1970 with whom 2 children were born. She later married Gordon Lowell "Butch" Miller on April 17, 2003. Butch was the love of her life, her soulmate as she called him. They met in 2002 and married in 2003. Butch preceded her in death on August 31, 2011. She never stopped loving him and looked forward to the day they would be reunited in Heaven. She felt that he was taken far too soon and never ceased to grieve over that loss.
She was very involved with her children and was a Cub Scout Den Mother, a homeroom mom for her children. and a teacher's aide for Sunday School for several years at Woods Street Church of Christ.
She began her employment as a teletype operator for Sears Roebuck and Co. in Waco, Texas and later transferred to Mountainview, California. She took classes at DeAnza Junior College in Cupertino, California, Grayson County College in Denison, Texas, and a semester at SOSU in Durant, Oklahoma. After her second child was 6 months old, she returned to the workforce as a deputy clerk in the Grayson County Tax Collector's Office under Ruth Wiley. When the Grayson County Appraisal District (GCAD) opened its doors in January 1980, she was one of the original employees. She retired from GCAD in May 2004 to travel with her husband and enjoy their grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Gordon L. "Butch" Miller; her parents, Michael J. Steep, Lora Jean McGarrigle, and Harry "Skip" McGarrigle; brothers, Michael J. Steep and Kevin Sean McGarrigle.
Lora is survived by her children: James Michael "Jamie" McDonald and wife, Nikki; and Nancy Lynn McDonald and their father, James M. "Jamie" McDonald; grandchildren, Brandon Lee McDonald; Kayla Christine McDonald; Taylor Nicole McDonald; Camden Seah Hill; Laynie Clara Hill; step-grandchildren, Caden Wayne "Cade" Miller; and Halten Lowell Miller; brother, Tom Steep and wife, Denise; sisters, Nancy Lynn Bridge and husband, Bob; Susan Miller; Erin Miller and husband, Ken; sister-in-law, Melissa McGarrigle; several nieces, nephews and cousins; special friends, Debbie Davis; Barbara Stanford; Carolyn Monroe; Debbie Briley; and Gail Holley.
She loved her Lord and was baptized as a teenager at Key Memorial Methodist Church and later rededicated her life to Christ by baptism in 1989 at Wood Street Church of Christ. She loved her family and friends and was an advocate for the "little guy" and would give of herself tirelessly to those in need.
She contributed to several organizations, specifically all the various veterans organizations, St. Jude's Childrens' Hospital; Grayson County Home Hospice; Cancer Research (especially the Grayson County Walkathon); Grayson County Meals on Wheels; all of her grandchildren's schools; various churches; Salvation Army; and others too numerous to mention.
In lieu of flowers, Chris requested donations be given to Grayson County Home Hospice, who cared so well for her husband in his last days, or Meals on Wheels of Grayson County. - - - Waldo Funeral Home