OBITUARY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 81, 17 September 1947, Page 4

OBITUARY

MR S. F. MILLER The death of Mr Stanley Frederic Miller in England last Friday came as a distinct shock to residents of this district. ‘Stan’ as he was familiarly known to hundreds in the Bay, went overseas last June with the New Zealand Jamboree Contingent, together with his wife, also a well known Whakatane figure, and young son Ken.

He attended the Jamboree in France last month but must have been in failing health at the time. A cablegram last Monday merely stated that he had passed away at Worthing Hospital. The late Mr Miller was born at Muswill Hill, London, England, where he was educated. As a young man he decided to come to New Zealand, and arrived in Opotiki in 1923. He first worked on the farm of Mr T. W. Guide, Nukuhou. Later he moved into Opotiki after working on several farms and was employed by the Bay of Plenty Power Board making concrete poles. A brief visit to the South Island found him doing temporary work at Invercargill, but a year later he returned to Whakatane and was employed in the bakery business of S. Bishop and Son.

A few years prior to the war he set himself up in a small business of his own in Kopebpeo, but with the war he enlisted and went overseas for four years, seeing service in Greece and North Africa. On his return he purchased the Mount Maunganui bakery business which he conducted successfully for the past three years.

‘Stan’ was best known for his tremendous enthusiasm for scouting. He must have • started at least a dozen troops in the Whakatane and Opotiki districts and at times personally supervised three or fouF at a time. He was District Scoutmaster for Whakatane for a number of years, and was the close friend of hundreds of young boys in this district. On his return from the war he interested himself in Sea Scouting and was Assistant Commissioner for this section of training in the Bay, playing a prominent part in the Dominion Regatta last January. He was 45 years old. He is survived by his widow, who was also particularly well known in this district as a keen and prominent worker in the Methodist Church. Mrs Miller left the Old Country 11 years ago to get married, and -had made a host of friends in the Bay who will sympathise With her in her loss. He also leaves a young son Kenneth, aged nine years. Memorial Service On Sunday Arrangements have been completed for the holding of a brief Memorial Service in connection with the late Mr S. F. Miller in the Methodist Churches of Tauranga, Wha“katane and Opotiki on Sunday next at 11 a.m. To each of these, Scouts, ex-Scouts, friends ’ and members of the R.S.A. are invited to attend. Boy Scouts, Cubs, Scouters and ex-Scosuts will parade at Cadman’s corner at 10.45 a.m. in readiness to march to the Methodist Church.