Obituary of Robert "Bob" C. Miller
Robert "Bob" Clemens Miller, 78, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 16, 2021 at Auburn Community Hospital. Born on March 9, 1943 in Hudson County, NJ to the late Clemens Joseph Miller and Martha (Rowlands) Miller, he was an only child. He graduated from Westwood High School, Westwood, NJ, earned a B.S. Degree in Chemical Engineering and pursued graduate studies from Newark College of Engineering (now NJIT), Newark, NJ. He was a Registered Professional Engineer.
Bob had a lengthy and varied career as a food processing specialist, providing technical and managerial assistance to food and feed processors, food equipment manufacturers, engineering companies and legal firms worldwide, including several "Fortune 500" Companies. His major expertise was in food extrusion. His independent research led to the development and sale of innovative equipment designs and new techniques for food process analysis.
He was also a faculty member and lecturer for the American Institute of Baking, Cornell University, the U.S. Feed Grains Council and many other organizations. He served as an Advisor for Cornell's Institute of Food Science and the Center for Advanced Food Technology at Rutgers University.
Prior to becoming an independent Consulting Engineer in 1980, Bob held full-time positions at Borden Foods Research Centre; NY State Agricultural Experiment Station (Cornell University); Nabisco, Inc. Research Center; and American Chicle Company. He authored articles in many professional publications and held three U.S. patents.
Bob had a second career as an actor/vocalist. A member of Screen Actors Guild-AFTRA, he appeared on-stage in more than 50 shows, produced by Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Auburn Players Community Theatre, and others, from 1976 to 2018. He also appeared in the feature film "December" and in numerous TV ads and voice-overs. His vocal experience included frequent solos as a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church (Auburn) choir, Masterworks Chorale, Finger Lakes Choral Festival, and gigs as an entertainer (folk and popular songs/guitar).
What was most unique about Bob was his ability to form lasting friendships wherever he went, throughout the world, in every continent (except Antarctica). Some of his favorite business clients/friends were in Thailand, Russia, Chile, Japan, Indonesia, New Zealand, India, Taiwan, Italy, England, Switzerland, and – most of all – Uganda (Africa). In Uganda he began a friendship with Agnes Nagaddya, an employee in his hotel, which grew into his and his wife Beverly's sponsorship of her education in Makarere University (Kampala). He and Beverly attended Agnes's graduation in Uganda in 2012, met many members of her family, and eventually expanded their friendship to Agnes's siblings, their families, and nieces and nephews. Bob and Beverly's church, Westminster Presbyterian (Auburn), has established The Ugandan Family Fund, which helps children get an education.
Bob is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Beverly (Nelson) Miller; their sons: Christopher Robert Miller and Andrew Clemens Miller; their grandson Ian Christopher Miller; step-grandchildren: Courtney Hennigan and Johnny Tillman IV; and numerous wonderful step-great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held on August 14, 2021 at 11 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations go to Westminster Presbyterian Church, 17 William Street, Auburn, NY 13021. For The Ugandan Family Fund
