Friend and veteran broadcaster Jack Miller dies at 79

Note:  We lost a good friend recently.  Unfortunately, we neglected promptly posting his obituary.  This posting corrects that oversight.  Earlier stories on this site told a bit about Jack and his achievements at KCSR in Chadron, Nebraska and KCOL in Fort Collins, Colorado.  Now, we offer Jack's obituary as it appeared in numerous publications.

John  J. "Jack" Miller

John “Jack” Joseph Miller, 79, of Fort Collins, Colo. passed away April 14, 2013, at his home with his family by his side.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. April 17 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Fort Collins with full military honors. Interment will be held later at Roselawn Cemetery.

Jack was born in Randolph on Dec. 6, 1933, to Steven and Genevieve (Abts) Miller. He graduated from Norfolk High School in in 1951 and served in the U.S. Navy as a radarman for nearly four years.

Jack started his career in radio broadcast as a salesman for WJAG Radio in Norfolk in 1956 and was promoted as general manager for KCSR Radio in Chadron in 1959. From there, he was vice president and general manager of KCOL AM/FM Radio in Fort Collins. Once KCOL was sold, Jack became a business development manager for KUAD-FM in Windsor, Colo. and continued to work in the radio broadcast industry until he retired in 2003.

He was a past commander of the American Legion in Norfolk; past president of the Rotary Club in Chadron; served on the Board of Directors for the Community Hospital in Chadron; and was president of the Board of Education for Assumption Academy.

Church was always an important part of Jack's life, keeping active at St. Patrick's Church in Chadron and St. Joseph Catholic Church in Fort Collins. He served on St. Joseph's Parish Council and was an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion for many years. Jack was a member of the Knights of Columbus; served on the Board and was past president of the Fort Collins United Way; was active in and assumed leadership positions with the Fort Collins Rotary Club; past president of the Colorado Broadcasters Association; participated in Larimer County Extension Services and the Northern Colorado Better Business Bureau; part of B.P.O. Elks #804; past president and on the board for the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce; and was a well-known member of the Chamber's Red Carpet Committee for many years.

Jack loved woodworking and enjoyed spending time outside in his yard. He was an avid fisherman and received a Master Angler Award.

In 1955, Jack married Constance Palecek in Norfolk and they were blessed with eight children.

Survivors include: his wife, Constance; twin brother and sister Jim Miller and Jeanie (Miller) Sellars of Norfolk; brother Michael Miller of Cushing, Okla.; sister-in-law Liz (Abler) Miller of Norfolk; children Steve (Vicki) Miller, Colo., Julie (Paul) Anderson, Wisc,., Michelene Miller, Colo., Mark (Kristin) Miller, Colo., Jacque Miller, Colo., Kelley (Steve) Spight, Colo., Susan Miller, Colo. and Alison (Max) Rodriguez, Colo.; 15 grandchildren; and five great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and nephew Dick Miller.

Condolences may be shared at www.goesfuneralcare.com. Memorials may be made to St. Joseph's School in care of Goes Funeral Care.

Jack Miller: the lost video!

One of our old bosses from a half-century ago was feted a couple of years ago -- named to its Hall of Fame by members of the Colorado Broadcasters Association.

Jack Miller was General Manager of KCSR in Chadron, Nebraska from 1959 to 1973, moving to Fort Collins, Colorado as Vice-President/GM of KCOL Radio. It was a new acquisition for the Beef Empire Stations based in Norfolk, Nebraska and owned by the Huse Publishing Company.

Below is a video that gives a good synopsis of Jack's career. He and his wife, Connie, are retired and still living in Fort Collins. We did an earlier posting on this site about a March 2009 trip to Colorado and a visit with Jack and another old colleague, Don Grant. A similar story -- with a decidedly "Chadron" twist, is posted on our High Plains Almanac site.

Click on the arrow (above at left) to watch the video.

"Beef Empire" memories

It was fun visiting this week (3/24/09) with two friends from the early days of KCSR in Chadron, Nebraska.

While taking refuge in Denver from a massive snowstorm across the Dakotas, Nebraska, and Minnesota, we took a side trip to Fort Collins. That’s home now for both Jack Miller and Don Grant, broadcast veterans who at one time worked – as did I – for the “Beef Empire Stations” owned by the Huse Publishing Company, publisher of the Norfolk (Nebr) Daily News.

That’s Don Grant (left) with Jack Miller in Jack’s Fort Collins driveway.

Jack Miller was named Manager of KCSR in August 1959, when the station was bought by the Norfolk group. A native of Norfolk and a Navy veteran who served aboard ship during the Korean War, Jack cut his broadcast teeth announcing and selling for WJAG beginning in 1956. Don, who hailed from LeMars, Iowa, was an Army veteran and attended the University of South Dakota after he left the service. He also worked at WJAG and did a stint at the Chadron station.

The “Beef Empire Stations” included flagship station WJAG in Norfolk, KVSH in Valentine, and KCSR in Chadron. The group later expanded to include KCOL in Fort Collins, Colorado. In 1971, Jack took the helm of KCOL, bringing along several of the KCSR staff – including Don Grant (Sales), John DeHaes (News), and Wil Huett (Programming).

Jack’s leadership at KCOL continued well into the 1980s before the station was sold. He twice served on the Board of Directors for the Colorado Broadcasters Association and was named “Broadcaster of the Year” in 1981. Not surprisingly, KCOL was strong on local service during those years, and instituted local editorials – not something lots of local broadcasters were always willing to undertake. Appropriately, Jack was named to the Colorado Broadcasters “Hall of Fame” in 2007.

Seeing Don Grant was a real bonus. Since we had worked together for only about a year (and I was a part-timer still going to school), I’m surprised he remembered me at all. Jack waxed eloquent about Don’s superb sales skills – of which I have no doubt. Don remains as I remembered him from 50 years ago – a warm and personable guy. Beyond our common friends and co-workers at KCSR, it was a further surprise when he revealed that he had spent time in Vermillion, South Dakota. We also lived in Vermillion and worked on the USD campus, albeit some 30 years after Don had been there. Still, we both remembered “Monk” Johnson and Martin Busch, both well-known broadcasters across South Dakota in those years. Don and I also spent time working in the Sioux City market.

I believe Don Grant said that another veteran broadcaster, Kent Slocum, was from his hometown of LeMars. I remember Kent from his years at KOTA in Rapid City. Wonder where he is these days?

After many years at KCOL, Don later returned for an encore at WJAG in Norfolk.

During our morning discussion, which was continued over lunch at Red Lobster, we tossed out names of one-time colleagues, and occasionally we all three would remember someone – or a memorable incident that would bring a chuckle. Like the case of the “sleeping announcer.”

But that’s another story……for another time.