Dick Miller In The Spotlight
Our resident in the spotlight for December takes the concept of “Tanglewood Time” to extremes! If chairs are to be set up at 6:30, it’s done by 6! If cards start at 7:00 P.M., he’s there at 6:30! Additionally, his picture hangs in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York; and he carries the unofficial title of the “Exterminator for the Rich and Famous!”
Our December Resident in the Spotlight, Dick Miller, married Shirley 50 years ago last September right out of high school. It must have been a long courtship since they had known each other since second grade in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.
Frustrated by the frequent layoffs at Bethlehem Steel where he worked as a fitter’s helper, he packed up the family - two daughters and a son, and, oh, yes, Shirley - and traveled across the country to California to begin a career in retailing.
He found an early home in sporting goods and eventually designed departments for a chain of 16 stores from San Francisco to San Diego and handled payrolls and human relations.
In 1972, Zayre Corporation enticed Dick and 15 or 16 other retail “stars” to join their operation in the East. Training for his new position as store manager in West Palm Beach took the better part of a year and covered 13 states
Dick’s next step on the corporate ladder took him to Nozzle Nolen - that’s right Nozzle Nolen, Truly Nolen’s brother! Dick served in sales and as a service tech for the exterminator for 19 years until his retirement. Hence, the title “Exterminator for the Rich and Famous.” (I’ll bet you thought that he was a Mafia hit man!) Dick’s territory was the Hobe Sound area of Jupiter, Florida, the richest island in the United States. His customer base included 306 homes, churches and country clubs in the area. It was actually a one man operation servicing the likes of golfers Lee Trevino and Nick Price, the chairmen of Purina and Anheuser-Busch, and even the grandmother of the current President Bush.
Dick likes to tell the story of his receipt of a phone call from Grandma Bush one day after work. She had an emergency and needed Dick right away. Dick took the 20 minute drive from the office and was confronted by a secret service agent. He related the story of the request from Mrs. Bush. The agent called the home and passed Dick along. Several similar confrontations later, Dick greeted Mrs. Bush who took him to the kitchen. He did see and eradicated a small ant, but the real reason she wanted to see him was to introduce him to her son, President Bush 1. She introduced Dick as “the man who takes care of me.”
Yet another story involves a stint on jury duty. It seems that the case before the court involved a man who hit himself in the eye with a bottle cap produced by Anheuser-Busch. Naturally, he wanted to be handsomely compensated. When the Judge asked why he declined to serve on the jury, Dick responded that he knew the chairman of the company personally.
The Moonraker II, a boat in a hit James Bond movie was also a target of Dick’s talents and products.
All in all, Dick worked for Nolen for 29 years.
Dick and Shirley moved here as the result of a visit to Howard and Diane Lowrey, long term friends from West Palm. Following the customary tour, Dick retreated to the rest room. When he came out, Shirley was writing the check for the down payment. Now, top that for a “purchase story!”
Dick is active in the Tanglewood Community Church and serves on several TMAC committees including the Tanglewood Actors Guild, and Special Events. In addition, he serves as the Chair of the Breakfast Committee, enjoys bowling, golf, and plays water volleyball. Dick can also be seen walking or cycling around the street of Tanglewood, and he looks forward to the construction of the volleyball court.
He and Shirley have three children. Sharon is a CPA in Tennessee. She has a boy and a girl who have given the local couple two of their eight great grandchildren. Cynthia lives in West Palm Beach and operates a Day Care Center. She, too, has a boy and a girl, who have collectively produced 4 great grandchildren. Son, Ed, lives in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania and is employed in the carpet and tile business. Not to be outdone, he has a boy and a girl who have completed the octet with two more great grandchildren.
When asked the standard question, “What do you especially like about Tanglewood?” Dick replied with the standard answer, “the activities.” He was quick to add, however, that he and Shirley “love the people in the community - they are so friendly!”
Yet another reason for selecting Dick Miller as the DECEMBER Resident is the couple’s amazing collection of Christmas ornaments. It takes 115 boxes to hold all that has been acquired over their 50 years of marriage. They begin decorating their home for the holidays about the first of November. It takes four to five days to decorate the interior alone! Several days before Thanksgiving, the outside lights go up. Dick notes that many of the decorations have been replaced over the half century, but there has always been a train platform under the tree.
Oh, yea. Are you wondering about his picture in the Baseball Hall of Fame? Dick was a pitcher on a high school team in Pottstown, Pa. that won 52 straight games. That record held until just last year! Dick was a pitcher who was scouted by several major league teams, including the Boston Red Sox. No wonder! 23 ½ innings without a run, 15 to 16 K’s per game, 1 walk per contest, and the MVP of a local sandlot league. His passion for Shirley superceded his love of the game, however, and the rest is a great memory.
As I’ve said many times, Tanglewood is full of great people with interesting careers, great memories, and unusual experiences. Dick Miller, our December nominee, joins his many Residents in the Spotlight who have been featured in this column.
If you would like to recommend someone for a future article, e-mail inthespotlight@twrtimes.com .
By Tom McKeever