Samuel C. Miller '41
Sam died April 14 at the Bryn Mawr Hospital in Pennsylvania following a stroke. He had celebrated his ninetieth birthday March 11 and had continued to work at American Pool Service in Wayne, PA, of which he was the founder and president, until the week of his death. A native of Narbeth, PA, Sam graduated from the Tome School in Maryland before matriculating at Amherst. He was a member of Psi Upsilon. He played football all four years, earning his “41” freshman year and his “A” senior year. He also participated in skiing and track. He majored in English.
Sam served in the US Navy in World War II. He was aboard a landing craft on Omaha Beach on D-Day and was awarded a Bronze Star for rescuing wounded soldiers during that most difficult action. Sam continued to serve in the US Naval Reserve until his retirement in the 1960s as a lieutenant commander.
In 1947, Sam began operating his pool service business. He also sold hockey equipment and Christmas trees and ran a snow plowing service. According to his daughter, Wendy, he was proud he had given many young people their first jobs and taught them the importance of customer service.
Sam enjoyed gardening, beekeeping, scuba diving, boating, fishing, and ice skating. He and his wife, Eliza Myers Miller, met at the Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane Society in Ardmore and skated for years in ice dancing competitions. He was a founder and strong supporter of the Radnor Ice Hockey program.
Sam is survived by his wife, Eliza; two daughters, Wendy Miller (married to Bob Harper) and Susan Curtin; a son, Mark; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandson. A memorial service was held at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Radnor, where Sam was a parishioner.
—Henry B. Prickitt ’41