FEBRUARY 25, 1952 - FEBRUARY 21, 2025
Henry “Hank” Lewis Miller, Jr. passed away on February 21, 2025, four days short of his 73 rd birthday. Hank was born on February 25, 1952 in El Paso, Texas where his father, Henry “Hank” Lewis Miller, Sr. was stationed with the United State Air Force. His mother was Dorothy “Dottie” Edwards Miller. His brother, F. Fletcher Miller, was born twenty-one months later.
Hank grew up in Wichita, Kansas where he flourished spending time outside; a lifelong passion, but dangerous for a red-head! The family moved to Topeka where Hank graduated from Topeka West High School in 1970.
Hank went on to attend Washburn University in Topeka. He joined Alpha Delta fraternity and was a WU yell leader. He also found his life-long passion for rowing when he joined the Washburn rowing club. He took a break from school and traveled with Up With People for a season, before returning to graduate in 1978. Hank worked in various sales positions, including insurance and two-way radios. His final position before retiring was with the Jayhawk Area Council of Boy Scouts of America. Upon retirement, he worked as a paraprofessional at Topeka High School for two years.
Hank spent much time on the water as a United States Rowing Association referee and traveled around the country helping with regattas. He was a pillar of the local rowing community for many years. He and his buddy, Don Craig, were instrumental in bringing in national regattas to Lake Shawnee. In 1992, he passed the exam to receive his international referee license. This led to him being chosen to referee the rowing competitions at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
Hank loved the Lord. He was the youth leader and high school Sunday School teacher at Gage Park Baptist Church in Topeka for many years in the 1990s and early 2000s. He later became the senior adult Sunday school teacher. He loved to sing and was a part of the choir at Gage Park Baptist and later at New Life Baptist Church when it merged with Great Commission Baptist Church.
Hank married Rebecca “Becky” Beutler on October 10, 1992. They welcomed Daniel Lewis in 1996 and Abigail “Abby” Elizabeth in 1999. Hank made it a point to be involved in their children’s sports, dance, and Scout activities, Hank is survived by his loving wife, Becky, and his children, Daniel and Abigail, his brother Fletcher (Peggy) and several nieces and nephews. Hank never knew a stranger, even up until the last few weeks of his life, when dementia did its worst. He never got tired of making people laugh at his awful jokes.
The family would like to thank the staff and residents at Midland Care PACE and Rossville Health Care and Rehabilitation for the care the friendship they provided to Hank the past almost two years.
Hank was cremated. Visitation is March 22, 2025 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Services to follow at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church, 3301 SW MacVicar Ave., Topeka Kansas 66611.
Memorial contributions may be made to New Life Baptist Church of Topeka, 3601 SW 10 th Ave., Topeka KS 66605 for the music program or to Washburn University general scholarship fund at https://www.wualumni.org/g/givenow or Washburn University Alumni Association, 1729 SW MacVicar, Topeka KS 66604.
