Donald Ray (obit) MILLER

February 4, 1934 - August 18, 2009

Donald Ray Miller
SHREVEPORT, LA - Services for Donald Ray Miller will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, August 22, 2009, at Kings Highway Christian Church, 806 Kings Highway, the Rev. David Brice officiating, with graveside services to follow at Rose-Neath Cemetery, Swan Lake Road, Bossier City. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Friday, August 21, 2009, at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 1815 Marshall Street, Shreveport.

Don Miller passed away peacefully at his home with his family Tuesday, August 18, 2009. He was born February 4, 1934 in Baton Rouge, LA to Ernest Floyd and Eva Denham Miller, the latter a descendant of Mercy Hogue and William Denham, original settlers of Denham Springs, Louisiana, and for whom the city is named.

He attended Woodlawn Elementary and Baton Rouge High schools in Baton Rouge, received his BA degree from Tulane University in 1957, and his LLB/JD in 1960 from Tulane School of Law. While at Tulane he served as senior class vice-president, president of the Baptist Student Union, and Cadet Colonel in the Air Force ROTC, as well as co-captain of the football team, with four varsity football letters. He was a member of Scabbard and Blade, the Honor Board, the Arnold Air Society, Who's Who, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, La Societe du Droit Civil, the Moot Court Board, and Young Democrats.

During his graduate years at Tulane, he worked as an assistant football coach with the Tulane Athletic Department, and for many years after moving to Shreveport, he refereed area high school football games. Handball, motorcycling, golf, and Arabian horses were his lifelong interests.

Don Miller served as Captain on active duty in the Base Legal office, Barksdale Air Force Base, prior to opening his law practice in Shreveport in 1963, and acquired broad experience in litigation before various Louisiana state courts, including the Courts of Appeal and the Louisiana Supreme Court, the U.S. District Courts for Louisiana, the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. He was involved in many civic and professional activities, serving as Caddo Democratic Executive Committee Chairman and working with the State Committee of Affiliated Political Party, YMCA, and Broadmoor Neighborhood Association. He was one of the original organizers of the local Red Mass Society, received the Red Mass Society Dedication Award, and chaired the Red Mass Society Banquet honoring United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

He served as Louisiana State Bar Association House of Delegates member and on its Board of Governors. He was a member of the Harry V. Booth and Hon. Henry A. Politz American Inn of Court, Shreveport Bar Association (serving as President in 1993), the Holiday in Dixie Ambassadors Club, and the Krewe of Justinian (serving as both Duke and King). He was appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to serve as Judge Pro Tempore, Shreveport City Court.

Since 1971, he has owned, bred, and shown Arabian horses, and served as Region IX, IAHA Director, a member of its By-Laws Committee, and chairman of its Probable Cause panel.

Don Miller was preceded in death by his parents and by his grandson, Phillip Ray Livigni. Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 52 years, Sarah Guelfi Miller; children, Suzanne Allen and husband Cecil, Melissa Arnold and husband Chuck, Michael Miller and wife Pam, Eric Miller and wife Carla, and Marc Miller; eight grandchildren, Brian and Ben Allen, David Miller, Grant Livigni, Mary Katherine and Amy Miller, Michael and Marshall Miller; and two brothers, the Rev. Ernest L. Miller and wife, Eva Mae LeBlanc Miller, and Archie B. Miller and wife, Bobbie Knighten Miller.

Pallbearers will be Cecil Allen, Jack Bailey, Trudy M. Daniel, Ron Miciotto, Larry Pettiette, Robert Piper, Hershel Richard, and Angelo Roppolo.

Contributed on 11/8/16 by debbraszymanski
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Record #: 142381

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