Norm Miller passed away peacefully on September 16, 2012 surrounded by his family. Norm lived a full life with devotion to family, kindness to everyone, professional success and work to make our community and world a better place to live.

Norm was born in Winfield, Kansas on May 20, 1927 to Archibald and Jessie Miller, the youngest of seven children. Norm enlisted in the Navy shortly after graduating from high school and always joked that Germany surrendered the day he enlisted and Japan the day he finished boot camp. Norm attended the University of Kansas with the help of a Summerfield scholarship, a merit scholarship awarded by the University to outstanding high school students. Norm graduated at the top of his class with a degree in chemical engineering and was recruited by General Electric at graduation. His first assignment was in Chicago where he reconnected with Shirley Shriver a KU alum who was getting her Masters at Northwestern University. A whirlwind romance followed and they married on September 2, 1951.

Norm and Shirley moved to Richland, Washington where he worked as a chemical engineer at Hanford for GE, with Shirley thinking they would stay in this dusty town for just a few years. But Shirley ended up loving the area as much as Norm and they started a family here, having Andy and then Jennifer while living in a prefab on Snow Street and then added Stanley to the family after buying a house on Cottonwood Street. Norm was a great dad, taking his three children on hikes behind the bypass, day trips to every dam in the area, being "Big Buffalo" in Indian Guides, going to countless swim meets but also helping with homework, teaching a strong work ethic and instilling a strong sense of social responsibility. Later the family moved to Ferry Road where Norm began his life-long love of walks along the Columbia River.

Norm took pride in what he achieved in his professional life. His analytical rigor, attention to detail, and talent for just knowing the right path to take led to a series of promotions at Hanford, including being named Vice President of Technical Affairs for United Nuclear Corporation where he was also in charge of reactor safety. Norm's dedication to Hanford continued well after his retirement Norm wanted everyone to understand the mission, science and engineering of Hanford, in clear but accurate terms. This lead to a second career as a B reactor tour guide and his work to establish a museum there. When U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell first toured B reactor, she did it on the condition that Norm would be the tour guide.

Norm was a proud American whose work for our community and country included social justice and political reform. His children still remember singing "We Shall Overcome" during marches against racial discrimination, rallies supporting farm workers, and doorbelling for progressive candidates. Norm was Chair of the Bobby Kennedy for President Committee which led to successful efforts to reform the local Democratic party, including his election as chair of the Benton County Democrats. Dad continued his involvement, being elected as a delegate to the 1992 Democratic National Convention only 16 years after Shirley was delegate to the 1976 convention. Norm always evolved ahead of his times, and was at the forefront to eliminating sexual orientation as a basis for discrimination. One of his lasting legacies is his decades-long work for the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, challenging our local community to better address the needs of the mentally ill. Other interests included climate change mitigation and restoring native plants in our region.

One cannot list all of Norm's community activities but they include President of the Richland YMCA, Chair of the Columbia Basin College Board of Trustees, President of the Mid Columbia Mental Health Board, Board member of B Reactor Museum Association, President of NAMI Tri Cities and member of the NAMI Washington State Board.

Norm had double heart bypass surgery in 1981, and he tackled recovery in true engineer fashion, charting weight loss and power walking times to monitor progress on his lifestyle change. His love of walking along his Columbia River grew to include taking his grandchildren to summit Badger and numerous other mountains, entering local 5km races and lobbying race directors for a separate 80 and over category. He was proud of those blue ribbons!

Norm's priority of family grew to include his five grandchildren. They had so much fun with him, from sledding and hiking to 4 way chess and hearts. They all knew he was always their biggest champion but they never heard a harsh word from him to a referee or opponent. As they grew, he taught them to never accept the status quo, to think critically about the math formulas they were taught to memorize in class and to challenge health inequalities, economic injustice, and the responsibilities of government. They learned honesty first hand when Grandpa deducted social security from their wages doing yard work.

Norm is survived by his wife Shirley, his children Andy, Jennifer and her husband Vic Paci, and Stanley Jacob, grandchildren Elizabeth Paci and her husband Dave Rand, Dash Miller, James Paci, Madison Storm and Sebastain Miller, sister Betty Jean Maurer and numerous loving nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Archibald and Jessie Miller and siblings Ray Miller, Mac Miller, Mary Ruth Hackney, Stanley Miller and Joan McCool.

There will be celebration of Norm's life on Friday October 12th at 2:00pm at Einan's Event Center. In lieu of flowers, the family is encouraging contributions to NAMI Tri Cities, PO Box 1135 Richland, WA or Tri Cities Food Bank