John Edward Miller, 58, of Waupaca, WI passed away on December 19, 2012 at Bethany Home in Waupaca, WI.
John was born on December 2nd, 1954, to John and Lois (Rohloff) Miller in Waupaca, WI. John was a lifelong resident of Waupaca, WI. John played varsity football. He was the county property lister at the time of his stroke. In 1990 Viral Pneumonia attacked and destroyed John’s heart. In 1991 John received the Gift of Life, a heart transplant at the University of Madison Hospital. In 1992, a massive stroke came like a thief in the night, which severely disabled John, confining him to a nursing home for the next 20 years. With every ounce of strength he continued to fight a battle that could not be won. He always had hopes that medical research would discover a way to undo the damage the stroke had done. John, his family and best friend will forever be grateful to his donor for giving him the opportunity/possibility of a Healthy Life. To save a life, a life had to be lost.
John is survived by his son, Johnny Miller, Great Falls, Montana; 4 sisters: Marlene (Ron) Hopfensperger, Sturgeon Bay, WI; Sandra (Bobby) Penney, Waupaca WI; Ginny (Peter) Johnson, Waupaca, WI and Ann (Bob) DuField, New London, WI; 3 brothers: Gary (Sandy) Rohloff, Wausau, WI; Rick (Cathy) Rohloff, Appleton, WI and Bill Miller, Scandinavia, WI; brother-in-law, Gilbert Rosin, Wautoma, WI and his best friend of over 40 years, David Schroeder, Ripon, WI. Also, 11 nieces: Tracy and Chris Hopfensperger, Glorie, Amy and Lisa Rohloff, Sherry Penney, Teresa, Denise and Angie Elkins, Holly Rohloff, Tarina Miller and 11 nephews: Timothy Hopfensperger, Randy Penney, Terry, Jimmy, Timmy and Jeffrey Rosin, Peter Rohloff, Randall and Race Miller, and Nathan and Shane Johnston. He is further survived by many friends and family. John was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Barbara Rosin.
John has gone to where the earth turns to heaven. A journey all must take and each must go alone. Under John’s “Tough as Nails Exterior” was a man with a Heart of Gold. There was no funeral as it was John’s wishes to give back to the University of Wisconsin Hospital, Madison, WI by donating his body to aid in the furtherance of medical research. His obituary was detained for family reasons.