Students, faculty and friends gathered to honor the life of associate computer science professor Donald Miller at a remembrance service in downtown Tempe on Friday.
Miller, 79, died unexpectedly in late October. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Jan Miller.
The ceremony took place in the University’s Brickyard Artisan Courtyard on Mill Avenue.
The memorial service gave former students and colleagues a chance to reflect on Miller’s three decades of service to ASU.
Miller started working for the newly formed Department of Computer Science and Engineering in 1981, following and researching the development of computer coding while teaching courses.
One by one, former students and co-workers stood up in front of a group of approximately 60 people in attendance to speak about each personally remembered Miller’s skill, humor and passion as a professor.
“He was very young at heart and he loved the students — he would fight for students no matter what,” said Bill Lewis, engineering professor emeritus, who originally hired Miller in 1981.
Many people remembered Miller’s strong work ethic, saying the professor would work late into the evenings.
“His light was on later at night than anyone else’s,” graduate student Kahkashan Shaukat said.
Miller’s technical knowledge of operating systems was impressive, said former student Don White, who described him as a “very careful, precise thinker.”
“He was a good teacher because he didn’t quit learning himself,” said Ben Huey, associate dean of the College of Technology and Innovation, whose cubicle was next to Miller’s in the early years of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
Attendees fondly remembered the bags of limes, oranges and kumquats Miller often brought to the office and classroom from his citrus grove, nicknamed “Miller Farms” by people in the department.
In honor of “Miller Farms,” colleague Rao Kambhampati brought a bowl of oranges to the remembrance ceremony.
Miller offered gracious hospitality at home to his graduate students as well, former student Alan Skousen said.
“He would put four or five cartons of ice cream on the table, all different flavors,” Skousen said. “And we were expected to eat them because they were going to melt if we didn’t.”
Miller would also lure faculty to attend committee meetings with ice cream.
“He had so much energy in his teaching, and it’s hard not to have that energy rub off on me, especially because under another professor it could have been very dry,” graduate student Joel Auernheimer said. “But he made it very interesting.”
Reach the reporter at hhuskins@asu.edu
