John M. Miller

John M. Miller, 88, of Lancaster, PA, passed away on Thursday, December 26, 2019 at Hospice of Lancaster County, Mount Joy.

He was born May 14, 1931, to Omar and Matilda (Snyder) Miller at Nampa, Idaho.

John graduated from Western Mennonite High School (1950), from Eastern Mennonite University (1959), Eastern Mennonite Seminary (1961), and later earned a Ph.D. from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas.

John’s life was oriented around missions, serving in a variety of ministry roles, including early voluntary service work in Puerto Rico; church planting and development work in Sinaloa, Mexico; missiology professor at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma; conference leadership roles with Franconia Mennonite Conference and Pacific Northwest Conference (MCUSA). During retirement, he continued to enjoy opportunities to write and teach, including several stints at Meserete Kristos College near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

John enjoyed making things out of repurposed objects, whether it was melting old candles into a new candle for his desk, concocting wassail for family gatherings, or seeing possibilities for pieces of wood found in nature and turned on his workshop lathe into objects of beauty.

Survivors include his wife, Doris; two children, Brian Miller and his wife Heather of Lancaster, PA, Elizabeth Comeaux and her husband Jeff of Hot Sulpher Springs, CO; one sister, Elizabeth Kennedy, Hubbard, OR; and six grandchildren, Nathaniel Comeaux, Caleb (Kelly) Comeaux, Mackenzie Miller, Noah Comeaux, Jansen Miller, and Hollyn Miller. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brother Allan Miller, and his sister Ruth Baugher.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 4 at 11 am at Stumptown Mennonite Church, 2813 Stumptown Road, Bird-In-Hand, with visitation from 10-11 am. Interment will be in the adjoining cemetery.

Memorial contributions in memory of John may be made to Hospice and Community Care, PO Box 4125, Lancaster, PA 17604 or to Global Disciples, www.globaldisciples.org. To send the family online condolences visit us at www.groffeckenroth.com. Arrangements by Groff-High Funeral Home, New Holland.