Donald Ray Miller

Donald Ray Miller July 31, 1929 - April 20, 2015 Donald Ray Miller, age 85, of Waco, Texas, died suddenly on Monday, April 20, 2015. Services will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, April 25, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Chapel with Pastor Matt Snowden officiating. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, April 24, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Garden Room. Donald was born July 31, 1929, in Waco, Texas, to the late Mary and Freddie Miller. He resided in the Waco area his entire life. He attended Brook Avenue Elementary, West Junior High and graduated at the age of sixteen from Waco High School in May of 1946. He entered Baylor University in June and after two years entered the Baylor Law School. Donald graduated from Baylor Law School on March 2, 1951, at the age of twenty-one. After graduation, he married the love of his life, Lona Beth Ware, on July 18, 1953. They were married for more than forty-eight years and had three children together. Donald worked for a few months as a law clerk in the McLennan County Clerk's office before becoming the "In-House Real Estate Attorney" for Pioneer Savings & Loan Assoc. in 1952. In 1986, he retired from Pioneer Savings & Loan and began his private real estate law practice. He retired from practice in 2012. He truly loved his work and the people with whom he worked. During his lifetime, Donald participated in and enjoyed numerous civic and leisure activities. He was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Waco. He served from 1948 to 1967 in Company M, 143rd Infantry Battalion, 36th Division of the Texas National Guard, where he was the leader of a heavy weapons platoon. He was honorably discharged as Captain in 1967. Donald was an active member of the Waco Junior Chamber of Commerce for several years and served as President of the Downtown Waco Kiwanis Club. He and his family attended the Kiwanis International Convention held in Toronto, Canada. He served more than fifteen years on the Board of Directors for the original Central Texas Zoo. He loved serving the youth of our community through Waco Pee-Wee Football League and Lake Air Little League Baseball. He enjoyed boating, water skiing, snow skiing, tennis, racquetball, and dominoes. He never missed his grandchildren's sporting and school events and gave his friends regular updates. However, he truly loved attending and watching ALL Baylor sports. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; sister-in law, Doris Miller; and brother-in-law, J.V. Ware, Jr. Survivors include his daughter, Charlotte Ann McNamara and husband, Parnell, of Waco; daughter, Donna Kay Morehouse and husband, Tom, of Georgetown; son, David Kent Miller and wife, Cynthia, of Crawford; grandchildren, Kari Kosub Poarch and husband, Jeremy, Karla Beth Spence and husband, Dusty, Laura Beth Mitchell Dillon, Kent Beckman Miller and Allison Rae Miller; great-grandson, Coby Eric Dillon; step-granddaughters, Amanda McNamara and Marisa McNamara Byers and Danielle Morehouse and Hannah Morehouse Turman; brother, Darwin Wayne Miller, Sr.; sisters-in-law, Billirene Ware and Shirley Ann Shackelford; and many nieces and nephews. The pallbearers are Kent Miller, Coby Dillon, Darwin Miller Jr., James Miller, Darwin Miller III, Justin Beckham, Jeremy Poarch and Steve Meacham. The family would like to express a special thank you to the caregivers and staff of Right at Home Central Texas and Stoney Brook of Hewitt for their loving care and friendship. In lieu of flowers, memorial may be made to the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association or to the charity of your choice. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WHBfamily.com.