Lamar Carl Miller

Lamar Carl Miller, DO December 18, 1931 to July 8, 2O2O A servant of the Great Physician, the Lord Jesus Christ Lamar was born in Youngstown, Ohio to Carl George Miller and Mary Matilda Zinz Miller on December 18, 1931. He was educated in the public schools in Ohio and always believed he received an excellent education. He had one brother, Norman, who was born in 1939. Lamar graduated from Poland Seminary High School in Poland, Ohio in 1950 where he was a member of the National Honor Society. He attended Ohio State University from 1950-1953 where he was inducted into the Alpha Epsilon Delta national pre-med honorary society in 1952. He was also a member of phi Mu Delta fraternity and served in several offices. With his excellent scholastic record he accepted early admission to the Des Moines College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1953. He graduated as a doctor in 1957 at the top of his class. After graduation he interned at Grandview Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. In 1958 moved to Morley, Michigan where he practiced for two years. He had privileges at Mecosta Memorial Hospital in Stanwood, Michigan where he delivered babies and assisted other physicians when they had surgeries. In 1960 he moved to Cortland, Ohio where he set up practice and joined the staff at Warren General Hospital where he served as chief of staff 197O -1971 as well as numerous other committees. He was also on the staff at Trumbull Memorial Hospital, a member of the 13th District of the Ohio Osteopathic Association and a member of the Ohio Osteopathic Association. For many years every Friday night during football season he was on the bench as team physician for Lakeview High School in Cortland, Ohio. In 1976 he accepted a position as one of four physicians on the founding faculty of the new Ohio University School of Osteopathic Medicine at Athens, Ohio. While teaching the early classes at the college he also became health commissioner for the county and started publishing a weekly medical oriented column for the local paper. The publishing effort was so successful that the column was picked up by the Columbus Dispatch as well as many local newspapers in south east Ohio. He was voted outstanding Professor of the year by the students in 1977-1978. While Lamar loved teaching and the students the politics of university life was too much, so he decided to return to private practice. His parents and parent in laws had all moved to Florida and visits to the sunshine state, along with a physician shortage proved to be an irresistible attraction so, in 1979 he moved his family to New Port Richey, Florida and built a new office building at the same time building a home and again set up a practice from scratch. At that time, he had two children in college. After opening his practice, he joined the staff of Community Hospital where sometime in the 1980s he served a term as chief of medicine. He was also on the staff of West Pasco Hospital for some time. He joined the Florida Society of Osteopathic Family Physicians shortly after arriving in Florida and initiated the annual seminar for those physicians which has become very successful. He became a Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians in 1983 and was president of that group from 1982-1983 He was also a member of the American College of General Practitioners. In 1986 he was awarded the GP of the Year award. Simultaneously he was also serving on the Advisory Board for the local Salvation Army and the Good Samaritan Clinic. While on the board of the Salvation Army he was involved in the building of the Spouse Abuse center and on the Good Samaritan board he initiated the annual Christmas Tree Festival which raises funds for the clinic. He also was active in the New Port Richey Rotary where he was a Paul Harris Fellow and was a regular blood donor with a plaque that says 5 gallons. Lamar had been confirmed in the Lutheran Church in Des Moines, Iowa in 1957. At Trinity Lutheran Church in Ohio he was active in the evangelism program and served on that church council. Upon arriving in Florida, he joined Faith Lutheran Church on Sunset Road in New Port Richey and for many years served both on the council and as an elder. For some time, he taught the Steven Ministry program at Faith. He also served 3 years as President of the congregation. He married his wife, Phyllis, in 1956 and they were blessed with four children, Marla, Kristine, Scott and Heidi. He also leaves 8 grandchildren, Christopher and Natasha Obara, Lindsey and Amiya Bigelow, Joel and Josiah Miller and Gwen and Gretchen Swanson. His daughter in law, Jackie, and two sons-in-law, George Moratis and Michael Swanson will also miss him greatly. Since his youth he was an avid stamp collector and tennis player. As an adult at about age 35 he took up snow skiing and attacked the hills with a vengeance. He always like to play golf and after retirement in 1996 he played an average of 3 days a week, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. His count. He had 3 holes in one. He also traveled widely in the United States and around the world from Iceland to India and Nepal and many countries in between. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to The Good Samaritan Clinic, Salvation Army or Faith Lutheran Church, New Port Richey.