Jonathan Mark Miller passed away at his home, in Grafton, Vermont, on January 20, 2023. Jonathan was born on June 28, 1959. His nickname growing up was Rocky as he was told that at birth his face looked like Rocky Marcinano, a popular professional boxer at the time.

Jonathan traveled back and forth across the country a number of times, attending more schools than his years in education, living in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Colorado and Arizona. Although he loved both Arizona and Colorado, once he put down roots in his permanent Grafton homesite, he was truly happy.

Jon loved to tell the story that he was walking to Grafton and this unknown woman picked him up and gave him a ride. The next thing he knew, he was working for Bea Fisher on her dairy farm, which is where he and his wife met. Sheryl tells the story that she wouldn’t give him the time of day until he helped her with her college math homework and she discovered how smart he was. Jon lived on Fisher Hill for 44+ years, married to Sheryl Fisher Miller for almost 43 years. They had three children, Marissa (Nathan), Mark (Soledad) and Megan. Jon’s greatest joy was his three grandsons, Dante, Theo and Ori, and he was fortunate to have them right next door. They brought light in difficult times. He also had great love for his dogs, Pretty Boy as a child, Traveler, Roxy and Arya in his adult years.

Jon took joy in being known as “Mr. Mom” when his children were in playschool. At that time, he was holding down the fort at home as Sheryl began her teaching career. It was not that common for the dad to be volunteering and chaperoning holiday parties and field trips at that time. Jon coached baseball for the younger kids and was talked into being league commissioner for a period of time when his kids were attending Grafton Elementary. He always took an interest in the friends of his children and many of them have shared their memories of those conversations. He also put in a stint on the Town Planning Committee.

Among his jobs as a teenager, Jon had many fond memories of working at Country Girl Diner in Chester, Vermont and he loved to share them over the years. He went on to work for Ken Beebee, Unified Data, as security guard at the Old Tavern in Grafton, St. Johnsbury Trucking loading dock, Grafton Cemeteries, Empire Gas, Wilson and Lawrence, HP Kiln/Bear Paw, James Roberts Farm, Ames, and Grafton Village Cheese Company. Jon was a true autodidact. He had many interests and loved learning. He jumped on the technology bandwagon early on and became very knowledgeable about computer systems. The jobs that put his talents to best use were working as data system manager at Stratton Mountain, Janos Technology, and Choicepoint and as technology support at Westminster Schools until 1999. Since then, Jon has been supporting the family in a number of ways while fighting health issues. Jon cared for Bea the year after her house fire and they became closer than ever. Jon has been dealing with thyroid eye disease, a number of heart issues and battling end stage kidney disease learning and using home dialysis for four years. The combination was a hard fight to win.

Jon enjoyed both for pleasure and at competitive levels, tennis, ping pong and chess, which he could play without a board or pieces, keeping the entire game in his mind! Jon had many interests and an encyclopedic knowledge of many topics. His many interests included planning and creating model train layouts, chess, math, music, history, philosophy, religious history, computers, comics (especially Batman) and a love of old time classic radio and TV. He could regale you with facts on Sherlock Holmes, the DC universe, Marvel, Tarzan, Star Trek, The Munsters and Dr. Who as he found the history and many overlaps of characters and plots interesting and often amusing. He loved the knowing of things, for the sheer fun of it which is one of the very best reasons. He happily engaged in conversations and debates.

Jon’s favorite place to be was his home. No job or social engagement could compete with his love of home. Jon’s main focus, the minute he left home, was how soon he was going to be back there. He loved to sit on his deck and ponder life and in recent years plan his train layout. He could spend hours with his Walthers train catalog happy as a clam.

Jon was predeceased by his parents, Barbara Clark Miller (1976), Robert Miller (2000), his daughter, Megan Marie Miller (2000), his beloved mother-in-law, Beatrice Fisher, who loved him ​as her own (2013). He is survived by his wife, Sheryl Fisher Miller, his children, Marissa and Nathan Bennett of Grafton, Mark and Soledad Fernandez Miller of Austin, TX, his grandsons, Dante Bennett, Theo Bennett and Ori Bennett, and sister, Heidi Schroeder and her three sons, John, Jason and Jordan.

Calling hours will be held at Fenton and Hennessey Funeral Home, 55 Westminster Street, Bellows Falls, VT on Saturday, February 11 from 2:00-4:00 PM.