Miller Michael Duris Obituary (1928

Miller M. Duris, 86, passed away on Sunday, March 23, 2014, after a 6-year struggle with an aggressive form of Parkinson's Disease. Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held Saturday, April 5, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Matthew Catholic Church. Memorial Mass will be held Saturday, April 5, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Matthew Catholic Church. Family and friends are invited to attend a reception following the Mass held at the parish hall. Born on March 2, 1928, to Slovak immigrants John and Mary (Duhon) Duris in Rainier, Oregon, Miller attended school in Rainier until 1945 when he enlisted in the US Navy at the age of 17. He served on the USS Archernar for over 3 years, leaving the service in March, 1949. On October 11, 1948, he married Celestine (Sally) Weverka in Hillsboro. He worked for Meltebeke's Furniture in Hillsboro before joining a fledging Beaverton electronics company, Tektronix, in 1951 as its 351 st employee. Miller and Sally moved to Virginia in 1959 with two daughters, where he managed the Tektronix Washington, D.C. field office. In 1967, they returned to Hillsboro with six daughters, continuing his Tektronix career until 1977. In 1969, Miller was appointed to the Hillsboro City Council and served as Hillsboro Mayor from 1973 to 1977, and Washington County Commission Chair from 1977 to 1981. During this time, he also owned and operated Miller's Sweet Shop in Hillsboro, selling to the Candy Basket in 1974. He then went on to be the Facilities Manager for Tuality Hospital until his retirement in 1991. Upon returning to Hillsboro in 1967, Miller began organizing the Pigtail-Ponytail Softball League (now the Hillsboro Girls Softball Association). The League started with four teams in 1969 and he served on the League's board for 20 years while managing softball teams that included five daughters. When his daughters continued on to play women's softball, Miller was team manager for many years. His passion for playing men's softball began while living in Virginia and continued in Hillsboro. After retirement, he played senior softball in Arizona and California through the winter and Portland in the summer, and traveling to different tournaments throughout the US. In 2004, he pitched for the Northwest 75 Team based in Seattle and the team won the National Championship and World Championship. He hung up his glove in 2009 as his health began to fail. Miller was an active member of the Hillsboro Martin J. Ryan VFW Post 2666 and the First Catholic Slovak Union Branch 735 in Portland, a member of the Hillsboro Elks Lodge 1862, a lifetime member of the Optimist Club and a former member of the Hillsboro Rotary Club. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, four daughters and sons-in-law: Cindy and Herb Hirst of North Plains, Carol and Steve Nolan of Hillsboro, Colleen and Steve Palmer of St. Helens, Carin and Blake Landon of Hillsboro; daughter Cathy Robb of Kenneth, Florida, and former son-in-law Burdette Robb of Vernonia; eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His parents, brother Andrewj in Slovakia, sister Annie Griffiths from St. Helens, and daughter Cheryl Tankersley from Hillsboro preceded him in death His parents, brother Andrej in Slovakia, sister Annie Griffiths from St. Helens, and daughter Cheryl Tankersley from Hillsboro preceded him in death