Thomas E. Miller, of Blooming Grove, NY, passed away peacefully on December 12th, 2017, at his home surrounded by family, friends and his fellow musicians. He was 68 years old.
Born on April 20, 1949 in Bronxville, NY, he was the son of the late Thomas Julian and Edith (Bull) Miller.
Thomas received his undergraduate degree in Journalism from Boston University, a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (Fiction), in addition to several short story and screen play writing classes from Harvard. He was a self-employed musician and composer.
He is survived by his wife, poet, Donna Reis of Blooming Grove; his sister, Edith, “Leedie” Wales of Cambridge, Ma.; his brother, Kenneth Miller and his wife, Barbara of Ashfield, MA.; and five nephews: Jeff, Chris, Andrew, Charlie and Rob.
A musician and composer, his CD, “On the Plains,” is about to be released. It is a suite of lyrics and orchestral music that is dedicated to the native tribes who were pushed westward by the advancing white settlement that stretched from the Dakotas to Texas during the second half of the 1800s. It is a tribute to their last stands for their land and way of life.
Tom loved his dog, Shanna, his cats (somewhat), his family, every friend he ever acquired, golf, tennis, hiking, skiing and fishing.
Visitation will be on Monday, December 18th, from 2 – 4 & 7 – 9 pm at Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Avenue, Warwick, NY. Funeral service will be at 11:00 am on Tuesday, December 19th, 2017 at the funeral home, followed by interment in The Warwick Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to Warwick Valley Humane Society, PO Box 61, Warwick, NY, 10990, Country Cats, Anne Mabee Awan, 37 Wilson Road, Sparrowbush, NY, 12780 or Planned Parenthood, 7 Coates Drive, Goshen, NY 10924.