Richard Miller Obituary
Richard Stanley "Dick" Miller died peacefully at his home in Malvern on November 5, 2024 after a lengthy illness.
Dick was born in Allentown, PA on March 16, 1938 to Elwood and Ella (Hewitt) Miller. He grew up in Springfield, Delaware County and was a member of the Class of 1956 at Springfield High School. He attended Lebanon Valley College where he pursued a degree in music education. Upon graduation in 1960, he taught in McAlisterville and West Philadelphia before assuming the instrumental music director position at E.T. Richardson Middle School in Springfield, which he held from 1964 until 1993. His bands, orchestras, and jazz ensembles were frequently recognized as among the top instrumental programs in the country by the Music Educators National Conference.
Upon his retirement from E.T. Richardson, he built up the Drexel University Concert Band and led its Pep Band. He also played French Horn in the 553rd Air National Guard Band, the New Holland Band, and Lukens Band in Coatesville, the latter of which he served as conductor and music director from 2018 to 2023.
Dick twice received the National Band Association's Citation of Excellence Award. The Pennsylvania Chapter of the International Bandmaster's Phi Betu Mu fraternity presented him with the Outstanding Bandmaster's Award in 1996 as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024. Many of his students went on to study at Curtis, Julliard, and Eastman and became music teachers and professional performers themselves. Dick was frequently sought as a private instructor and an adjudicator.
Dick was a resident of Malvern since 1965 where he raised a family with his wife and Springfield High sweetheart, Kay (nee Matter). In his free time, he enjoyed tending to his extensive vegetable and flower gardens, playing with his model trains, sitting in his pool on hot summer days, and traveling to Alaska and Europe. After Kay's death in 2003, he married Janet Spengler in 2005.
Dick is survived by Janet, his brother Charles (Beth) Miller, his three children, Donna (Kevin) Cooper, Debbie (John) Burg, and Rich (Sheri) Miller, his step-daughter Kristen (Eric) Zerbe, five grandchildren (Lynsey and Lauryn Cooper, Peter and Natalie Burg, and Brett Miller) and two step-grandsons (Cameron and Connor Zerbe).
A memorial service will be held at Westminster Presbyterian Church in West Chester on Saturday, November 16 at 11am. Visitation will begin at 9:30am. A reception will immediately follow the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Abramson Cancer Center via The Chester County Hospital Foundation, 701 E. Marshall Street, West Chester, PA 19380 ( or to The Lukens Band, 50 S. First Avenue, Coatesville, PA, 19320.
