Ben A. Miller

Ben A. Miller. Following a brief illness, the B.A. Miller family mourns the passing of its patriarch, Ben, who died at home November 13, 2002. His family and many friends will miss and cherish his generosity, devotion, energy and humor. Those who worked with Ben will remember his hard-working, innovative and entrepreneurial spirit. Others, both inside and ouside the greater Winona community, will remember a life-long commitment to philanthropy and charity. Born in Winona on November 30, 1910, Ben was the youngest of eight children of Jenny & Joseph Miller. Ben went to school in Winona and graduated from Winona Senior High School in 1928. He attended the University of Minnesota for two years before the Great Depression brought him back to Winona, where he would spend the rest of his life. After working at his family business, Miller Waste Mills, for many years, Ben came up with the idea of a plastics business and Fiberite Corporation was born in 1947. That inspiration was Ben's crowning business achievement, and fathered the plastics world in the Winona area. A hard worker his entire life, he spent 55 years in the plastics business and went to the office until last week. Ben's inspiration from his parents and success in business fueled his life-long passion for giving. Winona State University, St. Mary's University, Winona Community Memorial Hospital, the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins Medical Center are some of the educational and medical institutions which he generously sponsored. When he was not working, doing some type of charity work, visiting friends, attending a play, ballet or symphony, Ben might be found on the tennis court, golf course or bike path. He always joked, even in his 80's, that he could beat his children in tennis, if and when he kept score! His favorite recreational activity, however, was walking the trout stream, where he spent many happy hours. Ben was a devoted husband to his wife, Adith, who preceded him in death. His beloved daughter, Deborah (Kanaber), and six of his siblings, also preceded him. He is survived by his sister, Sada Goldberg; sons & daughters-in-law, Hugh & Vera Miller, Joseph & Marianne Miller and Jonathan & Laurie Miller; daughter, Sara Jane Miller; and nine grandchildren, Andrew and Daniel Kanaber, Michelle, Sharon, David, Jennifer, Jordan, Annie and Jack Miller. Funeral services FRIDAY 10 AM TEMPLE ISRAEL, 2324 Emerson Ave. So., Mpls. There will be an additional memorial service at 6 pm on Monday, Nov. 18, at Memorial Hall at Winona State University. To all who knew Ben personally, and to countless others who knew him through words or deeds, Winona is a sadder place. The world, however, is a better place because he was here. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, a charitable donation of your choice. That's also what Ben would have wanted. Arr. Hodroff & Sons

Published on November 15, 2002