I, Ernest "Ernie" Miller, was born in Mitchell, SD, on February 23, 1924. I was the second child of four boys and four girls. Charles S. and Florence (Jonas) Miller were my parents.

In the spring of 1928, my family moved west to the Vale and Sturgis area, 12-17 miles northeast of Sturgis. I completed 8 ^th grade at the South Highland Country School, District 32. In 1939, I moved to Sturgis to go to high school. I worked at the Keen Eats Café for room and board. Room was $5 a month. During the 1942-43 school year we went to school one hour extra each day. School was out one month early so the farm boys could go to the farms and ranches to work and help families while their sons were at war. I went to the Clarence Johnson family in Bear Butte Valley the spring of 1943. They were so thankful to get help they almost adopted me.

In the spring of 1945, I was drafted into the Army. About the same time, two of my brothers were also drafted. It must have been difficult for our parents to have 3 of their sons leave at the same time. Thankfully, we all returned home safely.

I was sent to basic training at Ft. Lee, Virginia, and completed basic training. I was then sent to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland, to complete a rigorous course in the Ordinance Department Bomb and Ammunition Disposal. After my bomb disposal training, I left for California and then overseas. As we were going under the Golden Gate Bridge someone had hung up a large, scribbled sign reading "1163 Miles to Wall Drug". What a tearjerker that was!

We sailed in a converted luxury liner, 8000 troops aboard. The ship was huge, 640 feet long, 14 stories high with 7 stories underwater and 7 stories above the Pacific Ocean. It was the most water I had ever seen since I was a little kid taking a bath in a washtub on the kitchen floor.

We sailed to the Philippine Islands. We were there for only a short time and then transferred to the Pacific Theater in Japan. On the journey to Japan a terrible storm was encountered. The ship almost sunk but Heaven above saved us. We ended up in the city of Kyoto, a beautiful Shrine City.

I was assigned to the Adjutant General Publications Dept. of I Corp. Two days into my job everyone left but me. I was in charge of not knowing anything of publishing orders, discharge papers, and whatever work entailed for 250,000 troops scattered around all the different divisions in Japan. I was promoted to staff sergeant just before troops were reduced and sent home.

I returned to the USA in the fall of 1946 and went back to work for the Johnson family again. In June 1947, my brother, Eddie, talked me into coming to town. We ended up buying the Sturgis-Ft. Meade Taxi Co. We had two old automobiles. We also started the Sturgis Bus Co. and transported 8 high school students from Whitewood to Sturgis. We took a 1941 Chevy, cut it in half, and extended it to a limousine style car. In the fall of 1961 Piedmont contacted us to transport 15 high school students to Sturgis. After 55 years of transporting students for the Meade County Schools we were operating 22 buses and traveling 380,000 miles each 9 months of the year. Never made much money but what a great life! Enjoyed every minute.

In the summer of 1949, everything fell apart for me. The David and Marie Brown family moved to town from Vale to Sturgis. One of their daughters stabbed me in the heart and in August 1952 Eleanora Brown became my trophy wife. I am still trying to recover from the incident.

Throughout the years I have kept busy volunteering, getting in the neighbor's hair, harassing my trophy wife, and most of all, I miss all the little people of my bus routes after peddling them for 55 years all around SD, ND, WY, and NE. What a great life!

God Bless You All, Ernie Miller

Ernest "Ernie" Eugene Miller, 98, of Sturgis, SD, passed away at Monument Health Sturgis on Saturday, December 3, 2022.

Ernie is survived by Eleanora, his wife of 70 years; his 2 children, Melvin (Kerri Ann) Miller and Lynelle (Danny) Chapman; grandchildren, twins Adam (Keri) and Conrad (Jaci), Judson (Kelley), Zachary (Amy), and McKenzie Miller, along with Danilee (Shawn) Chapman Pudwill and Caleb (Sara) Chapman; great grandchildren, Adeline, Elijah, Piper, and Kennedy Miller, plus Sawyer and Coy Chapman, and Beckem Pudwill, with a baby Pudwill on the way.

He was preceded in death by his brothers and sisters, Maxine Kelly, Eddie Miller, Donnie Miller, Anna Ginter, Goldie Baldwin, Dean Miller, and Doris (Peggy) Kendricks.

In Lieu of Flowers memorials have been established to Grace Lutheran Church, Sturgis Public Library, and Sturgis School Athletics.

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