Newspaper Page Text
Volume 67, Number 38, The Pembroke Journal, Pembroke Ga. 31321
EDITORIAL
FRANK OLLIFF MILLER
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my
course, I have kept the faith”.
Frank Olliff Miller, our husband and father, Ye
Editor, the Mayor, your friend, fought the good fight,
and lost it on Thursday, December 18, at 12 noon; but
he kept the faith and, we believe, finished the course.
And, consequently, has gone to take the crown of glory
that was laid up for him.
We, his family, feel a great loss; we have come to
realize even more in the last few days, that you, his
friends and associates, have also suffered the realization
of a great loss. Certainty, after his family, Pembroke
was his first love — we have no doubt that he would
have been willing to have laid down his life for “his
Pembroke”; and perhaps, in one sense of the word he did
just that.
Those of you who called, sent cards and flowers,
made visits — you made his last days and hours the
kind of time he always enjoyed most — being in and
among his friends. He saw friendship as an unlimited
relationship — he made no casual friendships and there
was no need of a friend too great for him to expend his
complete effort to be of assistance.
Yes, our loss is great, there will be an empty place in
our life, as family; and we are sure in our life as a com
munity. But he has left us a legacy that will live for
ever, as long as any one of us that knew him draws a
breath. That legacy is: “live life to the fullest, fill it
with useful tasks and friends”, and, as he said so many
times, “live until you die.” He lived that life up until
his last hours — thinking and planning for his famly
and for “his town, Pembroke”.
Our wish, now, is to see his dreams for his com
munity come true — the completion of the housing pro
ject, and the installation of the sewerage system for the
town. He worked on the projects in thoughts through
out his hospital stay. He cannot rest easy, we are sure
until these things are done.
He could not have been considered a religious man,
in an outward appearance but surely he more than ade
quately fulfilled his role as the “God Samaritan” and
friend of all And we challenge anyone to find a man
of greater faith and more at peace with God and man.
And, we, his family only hope that we can fight the
good fight, keep the faith and finish the course with as
much readiness and satisfaction that must surely have
been his.
Editor Laid To Rest
Frank O. Miller, Editor of The Pembroke Journal,
was laid to rest on Saturday afternoon before a host
of relatives and friends. He was eulogized as “the father
of Pembroke”, crusading newspaper editor, a friend of
man (both the common man and the man in high
places), and friend of the churches and preachers.
Taking his place in service as an honorary pallbearer
was former Governor Carl Sanders. The flag, represent
ing Miller’s military service during World War I, was
presented to Mrs. Miller by Major General Beatty, com
mander of the Hunter-Stewart Army complex.
Numerous tributes have been paid Editor Miller by
his friends and associated in the news media field, news
paper, radio and television, some of which are repro
duced here on this page. The host of friends and relatives
have expressed their thoughts in words and through the
lovely floral pieces and through contributions to the
American Cancer Society.
Editor Miller died and was laid to rest, as he lived,
among and before a large gathering of friends and
relatives.
A STATEMENT BY OWNERSHIP
We, the family of Frank O. Miller, mourn his
passing. But more than that we are left with a
responsibility to carry on the tradition of the news
paper in his family. It was his last wish that The
Pembroke Journal be continued to be published
by his family and that will be done. We are sure
that The Pembroke Journal will not be the same —
after all, it was Frank O. Miller as much as it was
The Pembroke Journal. Our plans are for it to be
continued as nearly in the manner as he would
have done as possible. The publisher will be Mrs.
Frank O. Miller, the editor will be Homer F. Miller;
the rest of the family, with the support of our many
friends, will take an active interest in the operation.
Our endeavor will be to live up to the motto that has
so long been part of The Pembroke Journal, “Liked
my Many, Cussed by Some, Read by Them All.”
The guantlet has been passed — IT WILL NOT
FALL.
Signed—
Mrs. Frank O. Miller
William O. Miller
Betty Elkins
Ruth Lee
Homer F. Miller
On Thursday, December 18, 1969, at about ijFjp
12 noon, Frank Olliff Miller finished his I]®/ (Vs
journey down life’s highway. U— * /
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•JOURNAL
Frank O. Miller
Funeral Rites
Tomorrow For
Mayor of Pembroke
PEMBROKE - Funeral
services for Pembroke Mayor
Frank 0. Miller, editor of the
Pembroke Journal, will be
held tomorrow at 3 p.m. in
First Baptist Church.
The body will be at the
church for two hours before
the funeral.
Mr. Miller died yesterday
at Candler Hospital after an
illness during which he cam
paigned for and won his 13th
term as mayor.
At 76, he was the oldest ac
tive newspaperman in age
and length of service in the
state.
His most recent accomplish
ment as mayor was to obtain
two large federally financed
community improvements, a
low-cost housing project and
a sewerage system, for Pem
broke. Both are under con
struction.
Had Sharp Wit
The epitome of the country
editor, Miller was friendly
with all types of people, yet
never hesitated to turn his
sharp wit onto his target.
In an interview last month,
Miller talked of his friendship
with Gov. Lester Maddox. He
said Maddox’s biggest prob
lem was in “keeping a dis
tance between his foot and
his mouth.”
He once called a political
opponent “Three shades lower
than a two-headed dodo, who
is not fit to be a dogcatcher.”
When Miller and his wife
celebrated their 50th wedding
anniversary earlier this year
at their family home, “Need
more Farm,” a long-time
(reprinted from Sava
Pembroke’s Stormy Petrel
POLITICS and tne newspaper
business just aren’t going to be the
same without Frank 0. Miller.
Mayor of Pembroke and veteran
of 13 successful campaigns for the
post, editor of The Pembroke Journal
and the oldest active newspaperman
in the state, Frank Miller wore many
hats in his time. He wore them all
with assurance and gusto and what
political observers these days call
style.
A part of this style was the atti
tude expressed in the motto of his
newspaper: “Liked by Many. Cussed
by Some. Read by Them All." A part
of it was his pungent wit and his will
ingness to take on all comers, in his
newspaper columns and at the polls,
and a part of it was his ability to win
friends as he won elections—without
pulling his punches.
As a politician, he engaged in nu
merous campaigns in Pembroke and
Bryan County as well as at other lev
els. He didn't give his foes any quart-
(reprinted fron Savannah doming News J
PEMBROKE. GEORGIA. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1969
friend and former newsman,
Tom Coffey, now assistant
city manager of Savannah,
said. “Cars were backed up
into the next county. He was
just as friendly with farm
hands as governors and sena
tors. I don’t know anyone in
the newspaper business I
liked better
Pays Tribute
Coffey also paid tribute to
Miller’s integrity.
“He had a basic country
boy honesty. He was a man
of his word. If he said he’d
do something, come hell or
high water, he'd do it.”
J. Dixie Harn, city clerk
and county commissioner in
Bryan County, said, “He
spent the better part of his
life working for this commun
ity."
Perhaps the best summa
tion of the man is reflected in
the masthead of the Pem
broke Journal which reads,
“Liked by Many—Cussed by
Some—And Read by Them
All.”
Not only Pembroke and
Bryan County readers, but his
peers in the industry enjoyed
Miller’s editorials and anec
dotes as well as the hard
news, and with his death an
era of able politics and rural
journalism seldom matched
came to a close.
Bulloch County Native
Miller was born in Bulloch
County and spent 40 years in
Pembroke. He was a member
of the First Baptist Churcn
and the Lion’s Club, an honor
ary member of the Pembroke
Jaycees, and a past com
mander of John Duggar Post
amah avenins Press)
er, but he understood that losing was
: sometimes a part of the game. He
was unawed by authority, his own or
i anyone else’s.
: As a newspaperman, he was one
I of the old school of country editors
i who proudly personalized their jour
nalism. “Ye Editor," he called him-
I self in his news columns. He never
avoided controversy, in fact, he re-
l lished the taste of it. He didn’t care
who he laced down and he enjoyed
a lively, no-hold s-barred debate—dia
> logue, political observers call it nowa
days.
WHILE MU^H of his writing
dealt with Pembroke and Bryan
> County, he frequently looked upon
, the rest of the state as a part of his
province, too. He even expressed his
opinion about Savannah and some
times the Savannah newspapers in
his editorials. There are not many of
I his breed around anymore, in jour
nalism or in politics. Both will be less
colorful, less enjoyable without him.
w.
z'’
FRANK OLLIFF MILLER
Editor and Publisher, The Pembroke Journal
Mayor, The City of Pembroke
164 American Legion.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs.
Willie Mae Gatch Miller; two
sons, William 0. Miller of Se
attle, Wash., and Homer F.
Miller of Statesboro; three
daughters, Mrs. Betty Elkins
of Pooler, Mrs. Ruth Lee of
Springfield and Mrs. Ollie
Miller Mixon of Vidalia; four
sisters, Mrs. Ruth Smith of
Valdosta, Mrs. Kate Mc-
Clifford of Arlington, Va.,
Mrs. Maude Edenfield of Sa
vannah, and Mrs. Sara Murry
of Silver Spring, Md.; and 12
grandchildren.
The Rev. Gordon Hunter,
pastor of First Baptist
Church, will be assisted in
conducting the services by the
Rev. John R. Joyner of Pem
broke and the Rev. C. M.
Butler and the Rev. Jack Cor
ry, both of Savannah
A spokesman for the family
said remembrances may be
sent to the American Cancer
Society.
Mayor Miller's
Funeral Saturday
PEMBROKE, Ga. W - Fu
neral services will be held here
Saturday afternoon for Mayor
Frank 0. Miller.
Miller, who served as mayor
24 years, died in a Savannah
hospital Thursday after an ex
tended illness. He was 76.
The long-time publisher of the
weekly Pembroke Journal had
been re-elected last week with
out opposition to another two
year term as mayor of the
Bryan County town.
(reprinted from
Atlanta Journal)
x W O /
1
T n^F'MAST—Shown here the flag flying at half-mast at the
embroke in respect of the death of the town’s mayor. Frank
O. Miller. It is reported that flags at the schools of the county were also
lowered to half-mast in respect.
Card of Thanks
In the world of newspaper people the
printed word is almost always inadequate
toto express the thoughts ‘and feelings
we have at this time. We have shared
“Daddy" with his friends and community
through the years and now at the time
of his death we share his loss with you
also.
His life was his family and friends.
The many of you, who have sent cards,
flowers, made hospital visits, and since
his death express your grief and sym
pathy in the ways that only such friends
can — we say very simply “thank you
and may God bless you.”
Wife, children and sisters
Pembroke Mayor
Frank Miller Dies
By BARR NOBLES
Staff Writer
PEMBROKE—Mayor Frank
0. Miller, just recently elect
ed to his 13th term of office,
and editor of the Pembroke
Journal, died in a Savannah
hospital Thursday. He was 76.
His death marked the end
of a style of able politics and
rural journalism matched by
only a small number.
His illness did not dull the
mind or the wit of the man.
| With the aid of relatives and
■ friends, he ran an uncontest-
ed campaign from his bed
I side, taking out time to write
a few articles of appreciation
for visits from friends for
। publication in his Pembroke
i Journal.
The Journal reflected the
. man, As the masthead stated
and as Miller liked to boast,
it is “Liked by Many—Cussed
by Some—And Read by Them
All.”
Tom Coffey, assistant City
Manager of Savannah, an old
friend of Miller said Thursday
evening. “He had a basic coun
boy honesty. He was a man ot
his word. IL he.said he’d do
something, come hell or high
wafer, he’d do it.*’
J. Dixie Harn, city clerk
and county commissioner in
Bryan County, said, “I’m
going to be lost without him.
He was a frignd. to every
body. He spent the better
part of his life working for
this community.”
While Mayor Miller made
many friends, he had feuded
politically from time to time,
and was once quoted as refer
ring to his opponent for may
or as being “three shades
lower than a two-headed dodo
who is not fit fe be a dog
catcher.”
Last month, in an interview
With the Morning News, Mill-
(reprinted front Sav
er talked of his friendship
with Gov. Lester Maddox, but
added that Maddox’s biggest
problem was in “keeping a
distance between his foot and
his mouth.' 1 Miller retold with
obvious pleasure and pride of
his overnight visit in the Gov
ernor’s Mansion.
Miller and his wife cele
brated their 50th wedding an
niversary earlier this year at
the family home, "Needmore
Farm,” and as Trim Coffey
said, “Cars were'backed up
into the next county. He was
just as friendly with farm
hands as governors and sena
tors. I don’t know anyone in
the newspaper business I
liked better.”
The irrepressible politician
took great interest in the wel
fare of his town. He was
known to make trips to At
'anta with frequency to an
ply a little pressure to ac
complish something for Pem
broke. An editorial in the Sa
vannah Evening Press on
March 15,1950 cited Miller by
stating:
“Be it recalled that in
an era of spending Mayor
Miller so handled Pembroke’s
affairs as mayor that the
town’s bookkeeper had no use
for red ink.”
As a journalist, he caught
an occasional blast from his
peers in the industry, but the
Pembroke Journal demanded
big city attention and was sel
dom without a front page sto
ry on the comings and goings
of “Ye Editor” and “Ye May
or.” In a 1952 issue, Ye Edi
tor gave good coverage of the
trials and tribulations of
breaking in a “pair of store
bought teeth.” The article
was extended into a weekly
series, leading the reader
from dentist’s chair to the ini
tial attempt to “wear the
things.”
mnah Morning News)
