Thomas Jacob Miller

Thomas Jacob Miller, 90, of Malta, Montana passed away July 15th, 2025 at the Havre Hospital. Tom was born September 10th, 1934 in Harlem, the middle of nine children born to Henry Miller and Louisa (Shupe) Miller. He was raised in and around Harlem. As a young man, Tom worked with his dad and brother Larry clearing cottonwood trees along the river between Zurich and Fort Belknap as part of a flood-control project.

In 1953, Tom and his cousin, Milton, took the train to Butte where they were sworn into the Air Force. They went through basic training together in California, then went to Cheyenne, Wyoming where they trained to be teletype technicians. After training, Tom sailed across the Atlantic to start his first tour in Germany.

During a night out in the tiny town of Herschberg Germany, Tom and his G.I. buddies were introduced to Gisela Michel and her girlfriends by the gasthaus owner. Tom and Gisela were married on November 5th, 1957 in Ramstein Germany. They would later return to Germany, this time with their two kids, Thomas and Teresa, in tow and enjoy three years making memories and lifelong connections with Gisela's family. Tom and Gisela were married 53 years until her sudden passing in 2011.

After retiring from the Air Force in 1973, Tom moved his family back to Montana. They settled in Malta where Tom worked for his brother Larry as an electrician for about five years before striking out on his own. Soon, young Thomas was working alongside his dad learning the trade, and they formed Tom-Tom Electric. When Tom turned 62, he tried to retire. But since one of his primary hobbies was work, that only lasted six months before he was back doing electrical jobs which he continued into his 70s.

Tom loved the Little Rocky Mountains. In the mid-70s, Tom and his brother, Jack, started camping with their families in Landusky every summer weekend. Soon, four of the Miller boys bought acreage at the end of town. Tom, Jack and Danny helped each other build their respective cabins, and Larry would join the family some weekends. Many years of laughter were shared and a lot of Oly consumed at the Miller Camp where other regulars were "Grandma" Lou, Vern and A.J. "Booze" Granger, and frequent visitors were Carol Miller, Lynn McGuire, Don Kraftenberg, and Letty and Lee Williams and their kids.

Tom was a practical man. He worked hard, paid his bills, and took care of his family. He was a man of integrity, humility and most of all humor. Tom was quick witted, and even as he struggled the last several months of his life, he would still make caregivers and medical staff chuckle with his unexpected and funny replies.

Tom was blessed to have great friends, especially these last 10 years or so: Alan and Christine Snider and their family, Fred Perry and his wife Evie, Jimmy Howard Ereaux, and Don Kraftenberg. He was also fortunate to have extended family, old friends and community members who would swing by, as well as those who helped him care for himself and stay in his home for as long as he was able.

Tom is survived by and missed terribly by his son Thomas and his wife Wendy, daughter Teresa, granddaughter Malanie and her children Amari and Brinley, and granddaughter Danielle and her husband Cary Woodruff. His brother John "Jack" (Margie) of Chinook MT, sister-in-law Connie, and nieces and nephews Henry "Hank", Cindy, Brian, Jessie, Scott, Kristen, Cheryl, Ted, Jimmy, Desiree, Bonnie, and Benny.

He was preceded in death by his wife Gisela, their newborn daughter Nancy Ann, his parents, siblings Clarence "Mike" (Rosie), Dora "Pat", Benny, Bill (Lilo), Larry, Howard "Chub" (Gloria), Danny (Shelly), and nieces and nephews Michael, Mark, Susie, Marylou, Gene, Earl "Butch", Joe, and April, as well as half-sisters Bella and Bernice.

Tom was memorialized during a graveside service with military honors at 3 p.m. Friday, July 25th, at the Malta Cemetery, and celebrated following the service with a gathering at Trafton Park.