Services were held July 16 at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home in Jefferson for Melvin R. Miller, 90, of Jefferson.
Pastor Larry Monthei of Hope United Methodist Parish offered words of comfort. Soloist was Kenny Monthei. Interment was at the Franklin Township Cemetery in Cooper with graveside military rites by and Iowa Army honor guard, and VFW Post 9599 and American Legion Post 11, both of Jefferson.
Melvin Ronald Miller was born June 6, 1928, in Franklin Township, Greene County, Iowa. Following his junior year in high school, Melvin joined the United States Army. He first went to Fort Belvoir, VA, for basic training. Then he was stationed in Korea for two years. After coming home, he finished his senior year in school and then graduated from diesel and engineering school in Los Angeles, CA. Following school, he re-enlisted in the Army.
He served in the following places: Fort Leonard Wood, MO; Korea for two more years during the Korean War; Fort Riley, KS; then Toul and Metz, France; then two more years in Korea. He was stationed at White Sands Missile Base, AZ, then Sinop, Turkey. He was then stationed at Fort Huachuca, AZ, then to the embassy at Bolivia, then Fort Leavenworth, KS, and to Vietnam.
He next went to Kaiserslautern, Germany,, and again to Vietnam. His last tour was Fort Benjamin Harrison, IN. Totally, he served 22 years in the Army with three tours in Korea and two in Vietnam.
Melvin graduated from flight school and retired to the family farm near Cooper, Iowa where he built his own airplane and collected antique cars.
Melvin passed away July 10, 2018, in Jefferson at the age of 90 years. He is survived by his sister, Janet (Robert) Owens of Jefferson; niece Gayle Roberts; nephew, James Owens; other relatives and friends.
