Obituary for Garfield Miller, M.D.

Dr. Garfield Miller, M.D., 90, passed away on October 18, 2010 at Traditions of West Union in West Union. A memorial service will be held at 11 AM on Friday October 22, 2010, at Calmar Lutheran Church with a luncheon to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Winneshiek County Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship Fund. Please contact Beth Holthaus at 563-387-3036 to donate. Dr. Miller was born on September 2, 1920 in Oliver County, North Dakota. He grew up on a North Dakota farm, attended a one room country school, and during the summers herded cattle on foot and on horseback on the open range. Later he helped build the section line fences. After graduating from high school, he attended college for one year and then worked as a bookkeeper in Bismarck. In June 1942, Garfield was drafted into the Army. After completing basic training, he received officers training and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in 1943. He served in the European Theater of Operations in the 30th Infantry and was awarded the Bronze Star for his work in the Intelligence Department as an Aerial Photo Interpreter. He was honorably discharged as a 1st Lieutenant in January 1946. In August 1997, Dr. Miller was one of the veterans awarded the Jubilee of Liberty Medal by the French government commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Normandy Invasion. He earned a B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota in 1948 and a B.S. degree from the University of North Dakota Medical School in 1950. In 1952 he was awarded an M.D. degree from Bowman Gray Medical School (Wake Forest) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He interned at City of Detroit Receiving Hospital, Detroit, Michigan. On August 20, 1949 Garfield married Marian Elizabeth Miner, daughter of Albert Burns and Anna Lee (Dilworth) Miner in the Table Grove Community Church, Table Grove, Illinois. Garfield opened his own practice in Calmar, Iowa in November 1953 and continued to work there until his retirement on July 1, 1989. He was a member of the Iowa Medical Society and a staff member at Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital. He took care of three generations of many families and had delivered more than 1400 babies. “Doc” was active within the Calmar community and the surrounding area. He was a member of the Calmar Commercial Club and was a charter member of the Calmar Lions Club. He helped build and establish the S.W. Country Club. He was an ardent fisherman, a league bowler, and a golfer. In 1985, the Iowa High School Athletic Association presented him with a Team Doctor Award for giving free athletic physicals to all South Winneshiek students during the 35 years he was in practice. He also had done physicals for athletes of Turkey Valley Community School for over 20 years. He is survived by three children: Gary B. (Lisa) Miller of Kansas City, MO; Catherine Sue (Paul) Anderson of Green Valley, AZ; George W. (Janet) Miller of Hastings, MN; several grandchildren, step-grandchildren, and great grandchildren; his sister Frieda Moos of Beulah, ND and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents George A. and Katherine (Ballensky) Miller and a sister, Lena Mantz. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.iowacremation.com.