Keith Eugene Miller

KEITH E. MILLER, 87 of Bar Harbor, died June 27, 2012 at Birch Bay in Bar Harbor. Mr. Miller was the Superintendent of Acadia National Park from 1971 to 1978.

Born to John T. Miller and Wilda Sprowels Miller in Donegal Township, PA outside Pittsburgh on November 30, 1924, Keith lost his mother to TB in 1942. Upon his graduation from Monongahela High School in 1942, Keith joined the Merchant Marine (who would take 17-year-olds) and later transferred to the U.S. Navy. He served as a radioman during the Pacific campaign and visited Shanghai, China after the liberation.

After attending college at Indiana University of Pennsylvania on the G.I. Bill, he went west to do graduate work in geography and education at the University of Washington. There he met and fell in love with Carolyn Hutchins, and not coincidentally, the National Parks. Carolyn’s father was a naturalist and seasonal ranger at Yellowstone during the Depression. After they married they both taught middle school in Seattle, but in 1958 Keith gave up that for a permanent position as a ranger at Mount Rainier (and Carolyn for a barely winterized cabin on the mountain.) Keith served 36 challenging and happy years in the National Park Service. His postings ranged far and wide by location and responsibility. From Glacier National Park where he trapped bears and fought fires and Wind Cave Nat’l Park where he found an entrance to a large new arm of the cave now called Miller Low Life. His first position as superintendent was at Gran Quivira National Monument in New Mexico. He also served at Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi, two years in Wash. D.C. as Acting Chief Ranger for the entire Park Service. Keith served as Superintendent of Acadia from 1971 to 1978, at which time the Millers fell in love with the island enough to purchase property for a retirement home. After six years at Superintendent of North Cascades Park Complex in Washington State, Keith ended his career as Associate Regional Director of the Southwest Region (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana). He was given the Meritorious Service Award for his supervision of the cleanup of toxic spills on Padre Island in Texas.

After their retirement to Bar Harbor, Keith and Carolyn traveled a great deal, and even lived for a time in Vienna, Austria in 1999-2000. Keith kept up his interest in the parks, working for Eastern Parks and Monuments Association and Friends of Acadia and also served on the board of Jessup Memorial Library.

Keith is survived by his wife Carolyn of Bar Harbor, daughter Kristin of New York, NY, grandson Keith of Washington DC, son Kem and wife Katerina and grandsons Aleksander and Adam of Chevy Chase, MD and his brother Thomas Miller of Tucson, Arizona. He is also survived by his beloved Austrian family in Vienna, Kerstin and Claudius Stracke and their children Dominik, Jakob, Clarissa and Iris.

A memorial service will be held 2:00 pm, Saturday, July 21, 2012 at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church.

Contributions in his memory can be made to Friends of Acadia, PO Box 725, Bar Harbor or Bar Harbor Congregational Church, 29 Mt. Desert St., Bar Harbor, ME 04609.

Written by Jeff and Kris Amos, July 02, 2012

Carolyn and family,
We are so saddened by Keith's passing and share in your loss. We always enjoyed seeing and visiting with you at family reunions and trips back home. We have fond memories filled with laughter and joy.

With Sadness in Our Hearts and Much Love
Jeff, Kris, Jason and Laura Amos

Written by Betsy Lynn Snow, July 03, 2012

Dear Carolyn and family,

Keith Miller was the first Superintendent I ever worked for in the NPS. He hired me in 1978 as Superintendent's Secretary for Acadia after a snowstorm kept me in Bar Harbor for three days without a way to return to South Portland where I lived. Keith met me for breakfast each morning, as I was unfamiliar with Bar Harbor; and in the winter, as you well know, not much was open. Since it became clear after the interview that I could not return home for several days, I told Keith to "put me to work" at the park. One of the rangers gave me some big fire boots that I could use to climb the snow-covered stairs at the Visitor Center (then used as Headquarters) each morning after the storm; the snow was several feet deep.

I remember this time fondly, because Keith's plan had been to hire someone from Bar Harbor as his Secretary, but after spending three days with me, decided to give me the opportunity instead. When Andy Anderson, the AO at the time called me to tell me the good news, I remember my absolute joy at being given this life-changing opportunity, the first of many happy years in the NPS.

Best wishes to you at this time of sadness.

Written by Martha Dodge, July 04, 2012

Dear Carolyn and family,

I am so sorry to hear of your loss and pray you are doing okay.

I will be forever grateful that Keith hired Norm as West District Ranger in 1975 and that we had so many wonderful years at Acadia. I am glad you were able to come back here for such a nice long retirement.

God Bless You
Martha

Written by Chuck and Gretchen McCurdy, July 05, 2012

Dear Carolyn, We join many others noting Keith was a rare bird. He'll be greatly missed. But we often fondly reacall the happy times our paths have crossed with you and Keith and your family.

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