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Roll Call Tribute

Wendell Miller '91 February 27, 2019 2:20 PM updated: February 27, 2019 2:23 PM

McCoy Funeral Home obituary
401 East Third St.
Sweetwater, Texas 79556
Phone: 325-235-8666

Wendell Ory Miller
December 26, 1942 - February 19, 2019

WO “Yogi” Miller. Dad. Outdoorsman. Engineer. Pilot. Mason. Coach. Friend. Yogi Miller died unexpectedly Feb 19, 2019 after 76 years of a life well-lived. He is survived by his four children, his sister, and his wife. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother.

After graduating from Louisiana Tech University, he began his career with the US Army Corps of Engineers in Vicksburg, MS. He spent 28 years in Vicksburg working at various Corps offices, retiring as world–famous Research Engineer at Waterways Experiment Station. During his time with the Corps, he earned his Master of Civil Engineering from Oklahoma State University, and his PhD in Rock Mechanics from Texas A&M University. Among other projects during his career with the Corps, he was in charge of blasting during deepening of the Panama Canal; tunnel detection in the DMZ in Korea; and, rebuilding highways and reopening the airport in Kuwait after Desert Storm. To accomplish his dissertation project concerning rock bolts for tunnels, he designed and constructed the world’s largest triaxial testing machine. He also built a water-quality testing lab for the Corps Division Office in Vicksburg. After retiring from the Corps, he was cofounder of several geotechnical consulting groups, continuing that work for the rest of his life. He also did work for the Corps “Retired Annuitant” Cadre, being deployed during and after flooding and hurricane disasters.

Beyond his professional career, he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. For his children, he was their soccer coach, Cub Scout leader, football coach, hunting buddy, tutor, and their biggest fan. His hobbies revolved around the outdoors: hunting, fishing, camping, water sports. He fished from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico and hunted from South Dakota to Mississippi. He was the one to call if you needed a helping hand, always resourceful and hardly ever stumped by a problem; always up for a challenge. Being a Mason was a huge part of his life. He joined the Masonic lodge in Vicksburg MS, and was so happy to find a very active lodge near Blackwell when he moved out here in 1998. He became a member of Hylton Lodge and was past Master there. He later served as District Deputy Grand Master for Texas District 78. He also joined the Scottish Rite and York Rite, and was a member of the Suez Shrine Temple. He made some dear and fast friends in the Blackwell community and will be missed by all.

Memorial and Masonic services will be 6:00 P.M. Saturday, February 23, 2019 at BLUE AGAVE Cattle Company in Blackwell with Rev. Vic Meyer officiating. A visitation will be held 5:00 P.M. until service time.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the SUEZ Transportation Fund, 2915 Loop 306, San Angelo, TX 76904 (money used by the Suez Shrine Temple to transport children and their families from this area to Shrine Hospitals) or Shriners Hospital for Children, 6977 Maine Street, Houston, TX 77030.


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