As the longest-serving state senate leader in Maryland and US history, my friend Mike Miller had an amazing ability to get things done, Clinton said in a tweet on Friday night. GROUNDED IN EXPERIENCE AND COMMUNITY SERVICE. Nearly two years after he announced his cancer diagnosis, Mr. Millers passing unleashed a wave of grief in Annapolis and further sealed a complete leadership transformation at the State House he presided over for 33 years. At a time when "people can't get along and can't decide on anything," Miller made things work, Poole said. It was nothing more basic than getting reelected, Evans said. Miller described his mother as a Franklin Roosevelt Democrat and his father as a conservative Republican, and his own political makeup seemed like a combination of the two. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Miller was a University of Maryland graduate and remained a passionate booster of the College Park campus and its sports teams until his dying day. Tom grew up in Western New York and moved to Central Florida in the early 90's where he lived with his friend Rick. Whether its the senator who he quietly consoled through family matters, the senator who he mentored to compromise and pass legislation, or those who experienced the personal care of Mike to truly listen to their concerns.. "He's survived by his wife, Patti, son, Tommy, daughters, Amanda, Michelle, Melissa and Melanie, sisters, Susan, Cynthia, Melinda, Nancy and Kim, brothers, Jonathan, David and Mark, and his 15 grandchildren, and was predeceased by his sister Judith." It came only from love for the Senate, the State of Maryland, and its people. [2][9] Miller died at home in Chesapeake Beach from the effects of the disease on January 15, 2021. Search. The Senate he presided over legalized gay marriage, ended the death penalty, introduced casino gamblingwhich greatly increased public school funding, cleaned up the Chesapeake Bay, and accomplished countless other legislative victories. (function() { ); It is impossible to think of the Maryland Senate and not think of Mike not just because of his historical longevity but because each member of the Senate has his or her own Mike story, Ferguson said in a statement. Janet Tarpley. callback: cb Miller retired last month after more than four decades as a state senator. } Michael V. Miller Mike was a wonderful guy. Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., the venerable Maryland lawmaker who was the longest-serving state Senate president in American history, died peacefully Friday at his home after battling prostate cancer, his family announced. On this day of his passing, let it be known, Senator Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. spent every single day of his life as a public servant working as hard as possible to ensure others had the ability and means to live a life with purpose, just as he did his. [3], In January 2019, Miller disclosed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in July 2018 and underwent prescribed medication treatment;[9] in December 2018 he underwent chemotherapy after the cancer was found to have progressed. Senate President Emeritus Mike Miller was larger than life. Linda Lamone, Marylands long-serving elections director, announces retirement, I took actions while Trump did nothing: Hogan reflects on Jan. 6, the 2024 election and more, Vogel, Long first Gen Zers elected to Maryland General Assembly, Debt ceiling fight leads Van Hollen, Democrats to revive proposal to eliminate spending limit, Commentary: Montgomery County declared a Climate Emergency. Ingeborg Anna Falacara April 17, 2023. The Miller family released the following statement shortly after 5 p.m.: Sign up to receive our free Daily Digest newsletter, in your inbox each morning. Early last year, a portrait of Miller was hung in the Senate chamber, not far from where his new desk was. "[5], Miller was featured in the Netflix documentary The Keepers for his opposition to a bill seeking to increase the statute of limitations for sexual abuse victims. "He's survived by his wife, Patti, son, Tommy, daughters, Amanda, Michelle, Melissa and Melanie, sisters, Susan, Cynthia, Melinda, Nancy and Kim, brothers, Jonathan, David and Mark, and his 15 grandchildren, and was predeceased by his sister Judith." Hes a good representative of what it used to be like when two sides were able to compromise.. We cover all of Charles, Calvert, and St. Marys Counties; along with the Southern portions of Anne Arundel and Prince Georges County. Gov. Senator Miller dedicated his life and career to public service, representing his community in the state legislature for more than forty years. Sometimes, his unrestrained comments landed him in trouble. I havent missed a meeting yet and I fully participate as Im able to, he said in an interview with Maryland Matters at the time. Sign in with a password below, or sign in using your email. Miller was the longest-serving presiding officer of a state legislature in U.S. history before relinquishing duties to Ferguson, of Baltimore, in 2019 after he was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer. In a show of political gamesmanship, Mr. Miller forced two special sessions of the Assembly, after which the fate of what became the MGM Casino at National Harbor was left to voters to decide in a 2012 referendum. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. . All rights reserved. At 4:25PM this afternoon, Maryland Senate President Emeritus Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. passed away peacefully at his home, surrounded by loved ones. 2023 www.heraldmailmedia.com. Miller announced his resignation in late December, citing failing health as the cause for not completing his term. Anita Davis*. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Thomas Vincent (Mike) Miller Jr. please visit our Sympathy Store. Get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers in memory of a loved one in Toledo, Ohio. Republicans also treasured Millers friendship and guidance, even as they sparred with him politically. Mr. Miller befriended Smalls press consultant, Lawrence J. Hogan Sr., who would become a U.S. congressman and Prince Georges County executive. May his memory be a blessing. . Thomas was affectionately known by his family and friends as Tom or Tommy. Learn more about how we serve you. (AP) Thomas V. Mike Miller, a major force in Maryland politics for decades and the nation's longest-serving state Senate president, has died, his family said. I grew up before television. An astute observer of state politics, he used his acumen to muscle through bills, but he also could willingly acquiesce to major legislation he opposed. Im going to do what I do as long as my health says I can do it.. Mr. Miller clung to his grudges as if they were prized treasures. [2], Miller was born in Clinton, Maryland on December 3, 1942, the first of ten siblings,[3] and attended Surrattsville High School. I am deeply saddened to hear of the loss of my friend, colleague and trusted advisor, Senator Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., she said in a statement. He stepped down from the leadership position in 2019 . Whatever happens, Mr. Miller said, it would no longer be his problem. It came only from love for the Senate, the State of Maryland, and its people.. Maryland State Senator and Senate President Emeritus Thomas V. "Mike" Miller, Jr., passed away in January 2021 at the age of 78. Terms of Service apply. From boyhood through early adulthood, Mr. Miller worked at his familys store and learned lessons that would stay with him as a politician. Today, most importantly, the Millers loss a husband, father, uncle, cousin, grandfather, confidant. Funeral services that include a viewing or wake are usually held within a few days of a death, but a funeral or memorial service can sometimes take place much later. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Thomas Vincent Miller Jr. (December 3, 1942 January 15, 2021), known as Mike Miller, was an American politician from Maryland. Most recent obituaries in Fort Mill, South Carolina. I expect well hear many of them in the days and weeks ahead, and I hope the public will listen and get a glimpse of the impact Mike made. Serafini said Miller was always very helpful to him in his work in the Senate. } forms: { He was 78. budget-writing and lawmaking, dies at 90, Forum highlights discrimination and appraisal bias in housing, Revived push for Equal Rights Amendment blocked by U.S. Senate Republicans. degree. Both Michael Keaton 's and Ben Affleck 's Caped Crusader will appear in the movie. Danielle E. Gaines contributed to this report. Despite his serious health challenges, he forged ahead, serving the citizens of the state of Maryland and Prince Georges County, Calvin Hawkins II, chair of the county council, said in a statement. In his illustrious 33-year tenure as Senate President, Mike masterfully facilitated compromise and championed a progressive agenda for the State of Maryland. Nonetheless, some African Americans chafed at what they regarded as Mr. Millers dictatorial control over local politics. Lois Thomas Ryder April 21, 2023 (90 years old) View obituary. He never took his eye off of it.. The people of Maryland are forever indebted for his service.". Search Obituaries. A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at First Christian . Sen. Blair Lee IV, then Montgomery Countys chief lobbyist, learned the consequence of opposing legislation Mr. Miller supported one day as he walked along a State House corridor. Mr. Miller, he said, was afraid of seeming too liberal in a conservative district. [citation needed], The Main Administration Building at his alma mater, the University of Maryland, College Park, was named after him on June 29, 2020. In 1989, as he was emerging as a statewide political force, he used a profanity to describe Baltimore, a blunder that quashed whatever hope had to run for governor. Miller could be a heavyweight political brawler and power broker who knew how to play well to the crowd. Myrna and I were privileged to have him in our lives for all these years. He stepped down from the leadership position in 2019 as he battled Stage 4 prostate cancer and resigned from his Senate seat in December. Please, check your inbox! Mike Miller was the cornerstone for all the progress that has occurred in the state over the past three decades, said Timothy F. Maloney, a prominent trial lawyer and former Democratic state delegate representing Prince Georges. Those who crossed the boss, as one colleague described betraying Mr. Miller, could find their legislative proposals and their political careers extinguished. Mike would often talk to whoever would listen about how lucky he was to have such a supportive family, and my heart breaks for his wife Patti, his children Tommy, Amanda, Michelle, Melissa, and Melanie, his 15 grandchildren, and his large extended family including those who were related, but also to those of us who were lucky to know him as family. He was the master of power and control.. ANNAPOLIS, Md. Hes survived by his wife, Patti, son Tommy, daughters, Amanda, Michelle, Melissa, and Melanie, sisters Susan, Cynthia, Melinda, Nancy, and Kim, brothers, Jonathan, David, and Mark, and his fifteen grandchildren, and was predeceased by his sister Judith,. It is impossible to think of the Maryland Senate and not think of Mike not just because of his historical longevity but because each member of the Senate has his or her own Mike story. 8808 Old Branch Avenue, Clinton, MD 20735. He wanted to be with his colleagues serving the people of the 27th District, but the physical burden was too much to bear. With large portraits of Marylands four signers of the Declaration of Independence hanging on the Senates walls, he revered his states history, and often brought the subject up in conversation or debate. He was, in every sense, a lion of the Senate. Subscribe to this newsletter to have the latest obituaries delivered to your inbox weekdays at 5 . Affleck's Batman and Miller's Flash first crossed paths in 2016's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice . As recently as early December, Miller expressed the hope that he could return to Annapolis for the 2021 session. When News Matters, It Matters Where You Get Your News. He was a Maryland institution, as the longest-serving Senate president in our state's history. In 1970, Mike was nominated to the House of Delegates to represent his district in Prince Georges County, and four years later was elected to the State Senate. He was 78. Thomas A Miller Obituary. As the oldest of 10 children, Mr. Miller navigated family squabbles often instigated by his volatile father and developed skills that helped him later maneuver in Annapolis. Miller announced at the beginning of the 2019 session that he was suffering from stage 4 prostate cancer. In 2001, the law firm became a family business when Mike's daughter, Melissa Miller, who previously served several years as Assistant State's Attorney, joined as partner. Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., the nations longest-serving president of a state Senate and a pillar of Maryland government for nearly a half-century, died Jan. 15 at his home in Chesapeake Beach, Md. In Memoriam. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Calvert Health Cancer Foundation, the Dunkirk Fire Department, the Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. Center for Leadership at the College of Southern Maryland or the Thomas V. Mike Miller Education Fund to support youth environmental education and career programs through the Chesapeake Bay Trust. I expect well hear many of them in the days and weeks ahead, and I hope the public will listen and get a glimpse of the impact Mike made," Ferguson said. It was nearly impossible to hold a conversation with Miller without escaping a history lesson. Photo by Danielle E. Gaines. Miller could be a heavyweight political brawler and power broker who knew how to play well to the crowd. In 1986, as Schaefer became governor, the states 47 senators elected Mr. Miller Steinbergs successor. He served as the state Senate president from 1987 until 2019. He will be sorely missed.. . Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., the venerable Maryland lawmaker who was the longest-serving state Senate president in American history, died peacefully Friday at his home after battling prostate cancer, his family announced. He thought he could print money in the basement of the State House., Marvin Mandel dies; ex-Md. Today, I join all Marylanders in mourning the passing of a champion of the Senate of Maryland, Senate President Emeritus Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. Mike was a family man, and his Senate family joins his family in mourning his passing. He won his first election to the House of Delegates in 1970 and moved to the Senate four years later. He appears to be with you, former state senator Tommie Broadwater Jr. (D-Prince Georges) once told The Post. Miller is a native son, who leaves an impactful legacy of leadership and service.. [7], On December 23, 2020, he announced his resignation from the senate, citing health reasons. Filter Obituaries Filter . The Mass and service will be livestreamed on the St. John the Evangelist Facebook page. It was Mike Millers baby. So, Senator Miller demonstrating what he had preached so often stepped down to make sure his district could have the best representation possible. The First Lady and I extend our most heartfelt condolences to President Millers wife, Patti, their five children and 15 grandchildren, his Senate colleagues, and all who loved him.. Serving the people of our great state was Mike Millers lifes work, and he did so with unrelenting passion and courage for a remarkable 50 years. He was an editor at Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper, for eight years, and for eight years was the editor of E&E Daily, which covers energy and environmental policy on Capitol Hill. Hogan ordered state flags to fly at half-staff Friday in honor of Miller. In 1989, he told a Washington television reporter that Baltimore, Marylands largest city, was a ghetto and a war zone. Some suggested the comments ended his prospects of ever becoming governor. He is survived by his bereft, loving wife, Diane Thomas Miller, who dearly wishes a cure would be found for Alzheimer's so fine men like Mike could live out their days without suffering. At the time, he cited his health, including a longtime battle with cancer, as a reason. William Donald Schaefer (D) of hiring eunuchs and sycophants and comparing Parris N. Glendening (D), then Prince Georges County executive, to a baboon. In the heat of one election season, he promised Democrats would bury Republicans six feet deep, faces up., William Donald Schaefer dies at 89; Maryland governor, comptroller, Baltimore mayor. Miller, whose beloved state Senate bears his name on its Annapolis office building, presided over the chamber for 33 years before passing the gavel to current Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) in October 2019. He was, in every sense, a lion of the Senate, Hogan said. (AP) Thomas V. Mike Miller, a major force in Maryland politics for decades and the nations longest-serving state Senate president, has died, his family said. My thoughts and prayers are with Patti and his entire family. View obituary. Hogans son, Larry, for whom Mr. Miller babysat, became Maryland governor during the last years of Mr. Millers reign in Annapolis. Maryland voters went on to approve the constitutional amendment allowing casinos in 2008, as well as an expansion four years later to add table games and what would become MGM National Harbor near the nations capital. Miller continued to wield enormous influence for the rest of his tenure as Senate president, serving in tandem with the late speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel), the longest-serving House speaker in Maryland history, from 2003 until Buschs death in 2019. On Saturday, the family will hold a private Mass and service at their family church St. John the Evangelist in Clinton, followed by a private entombment. Buschs successor, Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) paid tribute to Miller Friday evening. For 6 1/2 years Kurtz wrote a weekly column on state politics for Center Maryland and has written for several other Maryland publications as well. FILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019 file photo, Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller speaks with members of the news media after listening to Gov. Thomas V. Mike Miller during Maryland men's basketball's 66-78 loss to Michigan State on Feb. 29, 2020 at Xfinity Center. Required fields are marked *. I expect well hear many of them in the days and weeks ahead, and I hope the public will listen and get a glimpse of the impact Mike made., Miller represented the 27th District, which includes portions of Prince Georges, Charles and Calvert counties, in the Senate before announcing his resignation on Dec. 23, citing health reasons. Thomas V. Mike Miller, a major force in Maryland politics for decades and the nation's longest-serving state Senate president, has died, his family said. Along the way, he married his wife Patti in 1965. He became Senate president at the beginning of 1987, a post he held until the fall of 2019 serving alongside six governors and four House speakers, fighting with some more than others. Linda H. Lamone, the occasionally controversial, at times embattled, but seemingly unflappable Maryland elections administrator currently the second-longest-serving chief elections official in the. Ever the pragmatist, he had reached out months before to four newly elected senators, progressives who had defeated his more moderate lieutenants in the 2018 Democratic primary. News you can trust. 4 Seed in Patriot League Tournament, Maryland Honors 81 Officers for Contributions to Traffic Safety in 2022, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. But we arent acting like it, Taking stock of the first 100 days of the Moore-Miller administration, Bill Ratchford, widely-admired power of Md. He was a hard worker, he was ethical, and he broughtlove of policy areas especially education and the Chesapeake Bay to the Senate. I havent forgotten your vote, he wrote. Miller also was prone to speaking his mind, whether with reporters who gathered to talk to him regularly after the Senate took a break for the day or publicly at an event. Miller was first elected to the House of Delegates in 1970 and then to the Senate in 1974. Our hearts go out to his family -- we offer our deepest condolences. Hagerstown attorney and former state legislator D. Bruce Poole said Friday he will always remember Miller as a kind man and one whose work for the state will benefit it for many years to come. He was 78. There are thousands of former Senators, Delegates, staffers, and constituents in the 27th District that he has impacted for the better, and who each have their own Mike Miller story. Four years later, he was elected to the state Senate as a conservative Democrat. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) ordered that all state flags be flown at half-staff in Millers honor, until the former senators internment. The Southern Maryland Chronicle(SoMDC) is an all-digital news source for SoMD.

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