Hon. Robert Donald Miller Retired San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Robert D. Miller died on September 8, 2009, after a lengthy and difficult illness. Numerous members of his large family were at his bedside at the time of his passing. Judge Miller was born on February 13, 1922 in San Luis Obispo, California. He was the eldest son of Donald and Mamie Miller. As a young boy, he had the opportunity to frequently visit Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California, where his father was the on-site representative of a local electric utility regarding the power needs of the castle and the surrounding ranch. With the onset of the Great Depression, his family relocated to Corcoran, California, where he attended high school, graduating in 1939. At the outbreak of World War II, Judge Miller was an undergraduate at University of California Berkeley. He joined the Naval Reserve Officer training program, which allowed him to complete his undergraduate studies. While at Cal, he played trumpet in the marching band, eventually rising to the number one trumpeter chair. Upon graduation from Berkeley in December of 1943, he immediately attended midshipman school and was commissioned as an Ensign in the Navy, a so-called 90-day wonder. He then volunteered for service in the motor torpedo boat corps. The PT boat which he commanded as a 22-year old Lieutenant saw action off the coast of New Guinea and participated in the Leyte Gulf invasion in the Philippines before turning south to blockade duty off the Island of Borneo. Upon returning to the Bay Area after sixteen months duty in the South Pacific, a whirlwind courtship between Judge Miller and Edythe Trieber was resumed in San Francisco. They married on August 17, 1945 in Newport, Rhode Island. Their marriage lasted sixty-four years. Upon his discharge from military service in June of 1946, Robert immediately enrolled at UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. Upon graduation in 1949 and passing the California Bar examination, Robert and Edythe settled briefly in Corcoran, California, where he commenced practice of law. They returned to the Bay Area in 1952, where Robert began a solo law practice in South Francisco in association with Richard J. Dolwig. Meanwhile, during the decade of the 1950s, Robert and Edythe became the proud parents of five children. In August of 1968, Judge Miller was appointed to the San Mateo County Municipal Court bench by Governor Ronald Reagan. He was elevated to the Superior Court bench in December of 1969, where he continued to serve until his retirement in 1988. He served as San Mateo County Presiding Judge in 1973 and 1974 and served several years as the Criminal Presiding Judge in the late 1970s. He settled in at the Criminal Trial Department through the 1980s, where he heard numerous and varied cases, culminating in his presiding over the so-called "Billionaire Boys Club" trial in late 1987 and early 1988. Upon retirement, the Millers moved their primary residence to their long-time vacation home at Lake Tahoe and subsequently relocated to Reno. They spent a large portion of their time traveling extensively. They were able to visit all corners of the earth, including locations on every continent (including Antarctica). Judge Miller is survived by his wife of 64 years, Edythe, sons Keith (Diane), Cameron (Bonnie) and Robert (Brenda). He is also survived by his daughter, Janice Fager (Howard Clark), as well as fourteen grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his daughter, Christy Ann. Judge Miller, known as "Poppy" to his grandkids and great-grandkids, was jovial and kind and known to be a very convincing Santa Claus. He was well loved. Funeral services will be held at Crippen & Flynn Woodside Chapel, 400 Woodside Road, Redwood City, California, on Tuesday, September 15, 2009, at 1:00p.m. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Rotary Club of San Carlos Scholarship Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 515, San Carlos, California 94070, or to the San Carlos Youth Center Foundation, 1001 Chestnut Street, San Carlos, California 940
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