Obituary

Karl Von Miller

May 5, 1958 - July 16, 2024

Karl Von Miller, age 66 and of Pine, Louisiana, entered the Kingdom of Heaven to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, after a lengthy battle with pulmonary fibrosis and frontotemporal dementia. 

Born May 5, 1958, in New Orleans, Louisiana, he was of German descent and the middle son of three children to Arnold Edward Miller, a former Merchant Marine and later truck driver for Red Ball, and Bertha Mae Miller (nee Freeman), a hairdresser at Carolyn’s Beauty Shop in Bogalusa, LA. He was a long-time resident of Pine, LA and a member of First Baptist Church in Franklinton, LA.

Mr. Miller would often reminisce and regale those around him with tales of playing trombone while being mentored by members of Nicky’s Jazz Band, learning the value of hard work by sweeping for a glass shop, shining shoes, hopping buses and street cars, catching turtles in bayou St. John, roller skating in the fire station on Jefferson Davis Street, riding his bike around the city, watching parades, and making countless memories with family and friends around his parent’s small shot-gun style home on Baudin Street during the first 13 years of his life in his beloved New Orleans.

Looking for more elbow room and a quieter life to raise a family, his parents moved to Bogalusa, Louisiana during Karl’s junior high years. With his vibrant personality and inability to ever meet a stranger, Karl quickly acclimated to his new hometown making friendships and memories he cherished for the rest of his life. He always looked back fondly on his time canoeing and winning races in Explorer Post 313, playing trombone in the Bogalusa High School Lumberjack Marching Band, being selected as first chair in the District IV Honor Band, performing in the Louisiana All-Star Band, and playing roles with the Patchwork Players and the Mill Town Players. 

Upon his graduation from Bogalusa High School in 1977, Karl continued his education at Sullivan Vocational College. He then embarked on a professional career in retail management that spanned over 34 years working for Winn-Dixie and Wal-Mart Supercenters, where he enjoyed meeting community members and became known for his generosity and desire to help anyone in need. 

It was during this time that he would also meet the love of his life. By hijacking a coworker’s phone call, he invited the kind unknown girl on the other end on a blind date. After one date to the Washington Parish Free Fair, he was enamored, and even during the final days of his life, he would reassure his bride that she was the love of his life. While frontotemporal dementia would take away many facets of himself, he was always able to hold tightly to his love of family and his strong faith in God. 

His love of family, music, vivacity for life, generous spirit, and devout faith is cherished by his devoted wife of 43 years, Brenda Leigh (nee Duncan) Miller, daughter LeAnne Michelle Snow (Brad Snow) of Nixa, Missouri, son Kevin Michael Miller (Anna Miller) of Hammond, Louisiana, sister Patricia “Patsy” Flynn (James “Jimmy” Flynn); seven wonderful grandchildren Presleigh Charlene Miller, Brett Austin Snow, Cannon Michael Miller, Caroline BreAnne Snow, Mason Nolan Miller, Adalynn Christine Miller, and Nathan Gregory Miller, numerous nieces and nephews, as well as many other family members and friends. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Arnold and Bertha Miller, his brother, Kurt Edward Miller, and nephew Eric Miller. 

Visitation will be held on Friday, July 19, 2024 at Brown-McGehee Funeral Home between 5-9 pm for the public and will resume Saturday, July 20, 2024 at 9 am. Services will start at 11am at Brown-McGehee Funeral Home and will be conducted by Mr. Miller’s brother-in-law, Brother Jerry Duncan, with interment immediately following at Pine Community Cemetery. 

Pall bearers include Kevin Miller, Brad Snow, Jeff Duncan, Jimmy Duncan, John Terrell, and Shermit Ellis.

Donations in Karl’s memory can be made to fund research by The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (https://www.theaftd.org/).