Atholl Tillman "Jiggs" Miller

Atholl Tillman Miller was born on December 13, 1923 in a farmhouse east of Dixon, Missouri. He was the third of five children born to Enoch and Cora Miller. His father was a barber with a shop in Dixon, and his mother raised the family and tended to the farm chores. All of the children pitched in on the chores, and as the oldest son, Jiggs thought he was expected to do more than his share. This trait and being raised in the Ozark countryside during the hard economic times of the 1920’s and 1930’s, instilled in him a work ethic and thriftiness that lasted his entire life. Jiggs attended Dixon High School, where he was the smallest player on the basketball team, and in his social life, he developed a reputation as a good dancer. During that time, he also worked numerous jobs, often traveling long distances on horseback, or in horse-drawn wagons or cars heated by hot bricks wrapped in cloth. After he graduated, he worked construction jobs on Fort Leonard Wood and waited for the inevitable letter that would draft him into the Army. That letter arrived in 1943, sending him to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for basic training. He always said his best memory of that time was a cold quart of beer and a bag of Fritos on a weekend night. Later, he was assigned to an artillery support unit and sent to England to prepare for the invasion of Europe. He landed on the Normandy beaches on the sixth day of the D-Day invasion and served in many battles, including the Battle of the Bulge, in which he suffered terribly from the frigid cold and snow. He was awarded a Bronze Star Medal and received other awards in recognition of his service. Jiggs made many lifelong friends that he maintained contact with by attending annual reunions of his Army unit until the reunions were discontinued because of the age and infirmity of the veterans. Jiggs was discharged from the Army on October 15, 1945 and, wasting no time, on November 11th, he married Dorothy McCoy who was working for her father in his café, apartment and grocery store businesses in Devils Elbow. Jiggs and Dorothy purchased the grocery store business and later built a new general store with an attached house, and Jiggs was appointed the Postmaster of Devils Elbow. Jiggs and Dorothy worked in the store and post office together until Dorothy decided to spend her time at home raising Charles and Sue Ann. The store was open 12 hours a day, six days a week and Jiggs worked those days and hours until he sold the store 30 years later. In addition, he bought and maintained rental properties and eventually moved his family into the big rock house at the Big Piney Lodge in Devils Elbow, in exchange for maintaining and renting the lodge cabins to tenants. In spite of all his work responsibilities, Jiggs still found the time and energy to pursue his love for hunting; quail hunting was his favorite. He also loved to take his family to the Lake of the Ozarks every weekend during the summers for skiing, swimming, and boating. Jiggs was a member of the local Masonic AF and AM Lodge 375, Shrine Abou Ben Adhem, Scottish Rites, and he was a member of the VFW and the National Organization of Postmasters (NPUS). Family commitments were very important to Jiggs, and he devoted himself to caring for his mother, and mother-in-law, and when his sister, Romayn, suffered a stroke, he made the 40 mile round trip to visit her several times a week for three years. He was always concerned about Dorothy, asking about what would happen to her if he was not around and letting the family know how to care for her. He was also a loving and supportive father and grandfather, who could be counted on for whatever was needed. Jiggs was good-natured, reliable, even-tempered, tolerant and friendly. These traits resulted in him being affectionately referred to as the “Mayor of Devils Elbow”. He loved hearing and sharing good jokes. Even as his mental and physical conditions declined, he still regularly delivered a joke or comment that entertained those around him. He was the kind of husband, father, grandfather, relative or friend everyone wants to have. He will be missed! Jiggs leaves to cherish his memory his wife Dorothy Miller; two children: Charles Miller (Rita) of Prairie Village, KS and Sue Ann Dunn (Bob) of Devils Elbow, MO; five grandchildren: Adam and Scott Miller, Travis Dunn (Brianne), and Lucas and Derek Dunn; two great grandchildren: Molly and Gracie Dunn; many other relatives and friends.

Atholl Tillman "Jiggs" Miller

December 13, 1923 - August 30, 2011