Lamar Miller

MILLER, LAMAR, 81 Gainesville - Lamar Miller, age 81, passed away Sunday, January 1, 2017 at Oak Hammock at the University of Florida. He was born in Ackerman, Mississippi on January 20, 1935 to Louise Johnston Miller and John Wesley Miller. He attended college at Mississippi College where he attained a B.S. in Chemistry. While there he met his future wife, Juanita Spears. After obtaining his B.S. degree they moved to Gainesville, FL where he obtained a Master’s and PhD in Physical Chemistry with a minor in Engineering in 1961. He began his first of three careers in the chemical process industry (10 years) where he holds 3 patents. He then spent 13 years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where he was Science Advisor to the Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Director of Hazardous Waste Enforcement in Washington, D.C. While there he was on the Board of Directors for the Baptist Children’s Home, was instrumental in establishing a day care center at First Baptist church, was on the Finance committee of First Baptist as well as the Church School Director (an interesting anecdote is that Jimmy Carter worked under him in his latter role, as he sometimes volunteered to teach at the church school). In 1983 Lamar and Juanita moved back to Gainesville, FL where he joined the faculty of the University of Florida as a professor of Environmental Engineering Sciences specializing in hazardous and solid waste management, ultimate disposal systems, groundwater restoration and treatment and regulatory management. While there they were members of Trinity United Methodist Church where Lamar also served on the Board of Directors. Throughout his career, he consulted with a number of companies, such as Pfizer, CH2M Hill, Jones Edmunds, Colony Reef and the City of Danbury, CT as well as several law firms. Lamar and Juanita moved to Oak Hammock in Gainesville, Florida in 2004 as founding members. While at Oak Hammock he served in a variety of positions, such as President of FLICRA (3 years), a member of their state board (4 years), a member of the OH Health and Wellbeing committee and the OH Advisory board. Lamar is preceded in death by his parents and his two brothers, Hanion and John Edward. He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Juanita Spears Miller; sisters, Nadalyn Cotten and LaNell Alford; sister-in-law Doris Farnbach; brother-in-law James Spears; 18 nieces and nephews and large number of great nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday, January 7, 2017 at 1:00 p.m., at Trinity United Methodist Church, 4000 NW 53rd Avenue, with Rev. Aaron Rousseau and Dr. Dan Johnson officiating. A reception will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the University of Florida Endowment - Lamar Miller’s Solid Waste scholarship, P.O. Box 14425, Gainesville, FL 32604-2425 or to Trinity United Methodist Church in Lamar’s name.

Lamar Miller

January 20, 1935 - January 1, 2017