Date of Birth:
Tuesday, February 11, 1936
Date of Death:
Monday, September 22, 2025
Age:
89 years old

Donald “Mike” Miller

D. Mike Miller passed away on September 22, 2025, in Zumbrota, MN.

Mike was born February 11, 1936, in Bemidji, Minnesota. He was the son of a Croatian Immigrant, Joseph “Oreskovic” Miller and Clarice Murray Thompson. He had two half brothers, Robert and Gerald Lee, who preceded him in death.
Mike grew up in non-governmental foster homes until the age of 18. The first foster home was with Herb and Ora Parks in Bemidji, MN. He then spent the next 14 years with Buster and Petra LaPlante in International Falls, MN. He grew up in the French Addition, an area 2 miles east of town.

In 1954, before finishing high school, Mike joined the Air Force spending time in Texas, Wyoming, and Korea before returning to the US in 1956. He was then assigned to the Radar Base in Rochester, MN and honorably discharged in 1957.

While in Rochester, Mike worked for Brown Webb Gas Station located on North Broadway, then Marigold Dairy as a milkman. In 1958, he began his 50-year career with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company as a Sales Agent. During this time, he received his High School Diploma and obtained his Chartered Life Underwriter Degree from the American College.

In 1957 Mike met and married Sandra Jean Mlenar of Spring Valley, MN. Together they raised 4 children. He is survived by his wife Sandra, 4 children: Debbra, Paul, Lisa, and Lynn, 4 grandchildren: Jay Espeland and Casey Svitak, Reed and Robin Miller, and 6 great-grandchildren: Eleanor, Emerson, Everett, Isaiah, Ruby Ann and Norma.

Together, Mike and Sandy attended many Met Life functions. Mike was elected by his peers to serve on the Met Life Sales Advisory Council in New York. While in New York he stayed at the Waldorf Astoria, went to a Yankees baseball game, saw a Broadway show and attended Mass at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. The highlight while in New York was being able to view the archives of Metropolitan Life, including the records of the first Group Insurance Policy ever sold, which was sold to General Electric Co. Thomas Edison was an employee of GE at the time and ironically shared the same birth date as Mike, February 11th.

Mike enjoyed sports, especially watching the Minnesota Twins baseball games with his good friend Mike Parkin and watching Gopher Football. He also enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren participate in sports. Mike was an avid pool player, having organized and played in many local tournaments. As a youth he enjoyed playing marbles and was very good at it. After WWII the VFW sponsored a nationwide marble tournament, Mike had already won the city and regional titles, then placing 2nd in the state, only losing out to a boy he had easily beaten in the regional finals in Duluth, MN, therefore he did not participate in the National Tournament in Salt Lake City, UT. Mike never played High School sports, but he was very active as a youth with neighborhood baseball and hockey teams.

Mike was a member of the Pax Christi Catholic Church, life member of the VFW Post 1215, the Eagles Club and the Elks Club. He was a donor to the Veterans Honor Flights in Washington D.C.

According to Mike’s wishes there will be no formal funeral. Visitation will be held from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, September 30, 2025, in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home with a luncheon to follow.
Burial with military honors will be at 2:00pm in the Minnesota State Veteran’s Cemetery in Preston, MN.

In lieu of flowers please direct memorials to Catholic Charities for Adoption Services or a charity of your choice.
Online condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com