James Ray Miller, Jr. passed away peacefully June 11, 2024, after a brief illness, reaching 91 years of age.   James was visited by his three sons and their families often, along with his devoted niece Cheryl Latta, during his brief bout with pneumonia at Kadlec Hospital.  James lived a long, healthy life with his family in Richland, WA, after serving his country in the Army as a Military Policeman at Ford Ord in California.

James Ray Miller, Jr. was born in Bessemer, Alabama and grew up with his sister Jeanette helping his hard-working father who worked at Bessemer Steel and worked a small dairy milking and tending a few cows.  As a pre-teen James and his sister Jeanette left Alabama with my grandparents, for WW2 era work at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.  James attended Richland High School where he played Varsity football and Tennis.

After graduation James was drafted into the Army and spent his military service at Ford Ord, California where James served as a military policeman until his honorable discharge.  Under the GI Bill, James enrolled at WSU in Pullman, WA and it was there that he met the love of his life Carol Jeanne Latta.  James and Carol married and settled down in Richland, WA and soon after welcomed their three sons to the family: James Ray Miller III (Debbie), Steven Donald Miller (Joetta), and Barry Latta Miller (Lynnette).

While raising his family, James worked at the Hanford PUREX Plant from 1957-1972 and the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) from 1972-1994 as a Chemical Technician and Laboratory Leader.  Growing up neighbors became lifetime family friends that were cherished by James, Carol (wife), and James, Steve, and Barry.  James enjoyed many leisure activities including the pursuit of plentiful pheasants and quail, as well as fishing for rainbow trout, and later Steelhead and Salmon on the Columbia River.   James loved camping most, with wife Carol and various family members in the Blue and Cascade Mountains.  James was never happier than when he was cooking tacos for his camping family members while a serious game of cribbage was being played in the camper!

In his advanced years James was able to live in his family home to the very end of his strength, with the help of a great many close family members.  Son James III and his wife Debbie took up a great deal of the burden shopping, cooking, cleaning, and personal hygiene.  James beloved niece Cheryl visited often and her help and companionship was cherished. Son Barry was instrumental in James final few months preparing meals and providing companionship daily.  Son Steve’s wife (Joetta) visited frequently and brought 2 year old great-granddaughter Sloan by frequently and brought James great joy.

James was preceded in death by his parents, Virginia and James I, Sister Jeanette Mankins, wife Carol Latta Miller.  James is survived by son James (Debbie) and daughter Shalin and son James IV, son Steven (Joetta) and sons Brandon and Brock, and son Barry (Lynnette) and five great grandchildren. James is also survived by a younger brother Timothy Miller and his children Timothy Jr., Dawn, and Jason and their children.