Rotary honors Dr. Miller

Story and photo
by Donna M. Webb
Grand Island Dispatch, April 27, 2007

Dr. Robert Miller, with his wife, Sheri, at a Grand Island Rotary Club dinner in his honor.

You know the look – the one that says, “Oh, my gosh!” when someone is surprised. At last week’s Grand Island Rotary Club meeting, that was the look on Dr. Robert Miller’s face when he discovered that he was the guest of honor.

His fellow Rotarians worked in “collusion” with his family members to assure his attendance. Miller’s wife, Sheri, indicated that she had a commitment and would not be home on that Wednesday evening, while his son, Jim, invited him to go to the Rotary meeting.

The club honored Dr. Miller for two special achievements. He has been named by the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce as one of the 2007 “Citizens of the Year,” and he has just celebrated his 80th birthday this week. Dr. Thomas Sheehan, also a Rotarian, gave a speech that highlighted Miller’s many accomplishments. He is a veteran of the Army Air Corps. Also, he is one of the founding members of the Grand Island Rotary Club, which was chartered back in 1959.

“In 1958 I started out with Dr. Miller in our medical practice,” Sheehan noted. As many readers know, that practice also included Dr. Ted Rayhill, and he was able to attend this special meeting to honor his colleague. Sheehan recalled a funny story. “At one point, there was a patient who could not pay the $2.50 or $3 charge for his office visit and he asked Miller, ‘Say Bob, do you have some money for the bridge?’” Sheehan said that his partner gave the patient some coins. Afterwards, the office secretary, Joyce Durkin, said to Miller, “By the way, you only pay to get on the Island – this guy is already here!”

Rotarian Hank Kammerer, who could not attend the meeting, made available the 1984 special edition of the Rotary’s newsletter. A note from Kammerer to Miller said, “We hope you can look back on this source of Rotary history with a smile.” It was issued in honor of the 25th anniversary of the club’s charter. There were photos of the 1959 founding members, including Kammerer, Ed Pfohl and Larry Runions. Another picture showed the 1984 club members. The Rotary activities noted in the newsletter were the annual fruitcake and hot dog sales and the Monte Carlo nights. “The Rotary Club funded and maintained the Beaver Island Scenic Train ride, which began in 1964,” according to the newsletter. The train held 70 passengers, and was called the “Iron Horse.” Proceeds from the train ride were used for Grand Island community projects.

Rotary President Angelo Palamuso read a short note from fellow Rotarian, Dr. Jerry Barlow, who mentioned that Miller is Professor Emeritus at the State University at Buffalo Medical School. Also, Barlow reflected on how much he has been influenced by Miller.

Grand Island Councilman and Rotarian Gary Roesch read from parts of a town proclamation honoring Miller. It noted Miller was a partner in the family medical practice from 1956 to 1996. Also, he has been a member of St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church and both the Grand Island Neighbors Foundation and the former Narcotics Council, which advised youth about the dangers of drug use. Miller was one of the first medical directors of the Grand Island Nursing Home, which was the predecessor to the current Riverwood Health Care facility. Miller gave “professional leadership in the Grand Island Central School District,” according to the proclamation. It closed with these words: “This . . . town board extends its sincerest gratitude to Dr. Miller for his service to the residents of Grand Island.”

At the end of his speech, Sheehan said, “We wish you, Bob, the best. We have been proud to have you as a friend, mentor, partner, fellow Rotarian, and many other things over the past 49 years.”