Damon Samuel Miller

Damon S. Miller, 89, of Humboldt, passed away September 17, 2016 at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Faith United Methodist Church in Humboldt with the Rev. Alberta Ervin officiating. Burial will be in Indian Mound Cemetery, Humboldt with full military rites by the Adams American Legion Post 119 and Sathers-Odgaard VFW Post 5240. Visitation with the family will be 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at the Mason-Lindhart Funeral Home in Humboldt.
Damon is survived by his daughter, Pam (Bob) O’Donnell of Humboldt; grandchildren, Ryan (Colette) O’Donnell of Bettendorf, Rob (Angie) O’Donnell of Humboldt, April Hamner of New York City, and Joshua “J.D.” (Kaley) Hamner of Aurora, CO; great grandchildren, Aden and Reese O’Donnell, Drew Batcheller, and Alexi and Aja Bell; brother, John (Lil) Miller of Clarington, OH; sisters, Marilyn Stauffer of Garfield, AR, Ramona Poling of Laurelville, OH, and Evalina Smith of Malvern, OH; and sister-in-law, Marie Miller of Clarington, OH. HE was preceded in death by his parents, Harry D. and Hazel (Mobley) miller; step-mother, Jesse Miller; wife, Margaret “Marty” Miller; his son, Ronald Miller, who died in Vietnam; daughter, Karla Miller-Hamner; brother, Earl Miller; and his sister Ila Collins.
Damon Samuel Miller, the son of Harry D. and Hazel (Mobley) Miller, was born December 8, 1926 on a farm near Clarington, Ohio. He was raised at Clarington and attended River High School in Hannibal, Ohio. Damon left high school to enlist into the United States Army during World War II. He later finished high school and liked to say he graduated from the “school of hard knocks”. Following his military career, Damon worked in the Pentagon in Washington, DC. It was there that he met Margaret “Marty” Yates. The couple was united in marriage on December 5, 1947.
Damon went to work for Agrico out east until a transfer with the company to Humboldt in 1955 where he worked as an accountant. More transfers with the company took the family to Peoria, IL in 1967, Memphis, TN in 1968, and Tulsa, OK in 1973. A final transfer came in 1980 to Des Moines, Iowa. He retired in 1985 and the couple returned to Humboldt where they built their home along the banks of the Des Moines River. Mrs. Miller passed away in 2008 and Damon continued to maintain his home until his death.
Damon was a member of the Faith United Methodist Church. He was proud to be a Veteran and participated in the Honor Flight. He was very proud of his son, Ronald, who died in Vietnam and was buried in Arlington Cemetery. Golf was his passion. He enjoyed boating and his involvement in the Humboldt Boat Club including water skiing on the Des Moines River and potluck dinners on Scout Island. Damon was a member of the Humboldt/Dakota City Jaycees and was active in scouting with Ronald. He enjoyed traveling with Marty all over the country and exploring the National Parks. Above all, Damon loved his immediate and extended family and enjoyed spending time with them.