David C. Miller, 1947-2013

B.G. editor served on county boards

5/21/2013

BOWLING GREEN — David C. Miller, editor of the Sentinel-Tribune for more than 30 years and a leader on county boards and civic activities, died Saturday in York, Pa. He was 66.

His daughter, Jessica Blakely, said he became ill while vacationing in late April in Gettysburg and had been a patient in the York Hospital since early May. She did not know the cause of death.

Mr. Miller had been editor of the newspaper since 1980. While in that position, he was appointed to the boards of many Wood County agencies and community groups. Mrs. Blakely said he was an advocate for the community’s less fortunate and championed people with developmental disabilities, mental health issues, and alcohol and substance abuse addictions.

“He had a passion for those who needed a voice, and people who might be underserved,” she said. “He felt everyone deserved to have a voice and deserved to get the most out of life.”

Among the groups that he served: Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Board; Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities; Wood County Humane Society; Wood County District Public Library, and Wood County Committee on Aging.

He also served on state boards and organizations related to libraries, developmental disabilities, and drug and substance abuse causes.

In 1991, Gov. George Voinovich appointed Mr. Miller to the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission. He also had served on the Ohio Library Trustee Association Board.

Born April 25, 1947, in Newark, Ohi-o, his family moved to To-ledo in 1951. He attended Deveaux School in West Toledo. The family moved in 1958 to Granville, Ohio, where he graduated from high school in 1965.

Mr. Miller studied photography at Bowling Green State University, where he was editor of the Key yearbook. He graduated in 1969 with a bachelor of arts degree.

He began his jounalism career in 1971 at the Sentinel-Tribune as a reporter.

Jan Larson-McLaughlin, a reporter there since 1984, said Mr. Miller was a mentor to young reporters. “He expected you to do your best, and when you did he let you know. He rewarded reporters by giving them better assignments,” she said.

Surviving are his wife of 43 years, Judith Miller; daughter, Jessica Blakely; son, Aaron; brother, Tim; three grandchildren, and three step-grandchildren.

A celebration of life is set for 2 p.m. Thursday in the Bowling Green Community Center, 1245 W. Newton Rd. Funeral arrangements are by the Deck-Hanneman Funeral Home. The family requests tributes to the Wood Lane Foundation or one of the organizations in which he was involved.