Richard “Butch” Miller

Richard “Butch” Miller, 80, of Creston passed away Nov. 18, 2019 at EveryStep Greater Regional Hospice House in Creston.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Nov. 22, 2019, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Creston. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Creston. Father Adam Westphal will officiate. Open visitation will be 2 to 7 p.m. Nov. 21, 2019, at Powers Funeral Home in Creston, with family receiving friends from 5 to 7 p.m., with a rosary at 7 p.m. Thursday. In lieu of flowers, memorials are to the family to be determined at a later date. Online condolences can be given at www.powersfh.com.

Richard Jerome Miller was born Feb. 26, 1939, in Spaulding, Iowa to Jerome Jackson Miller and Irene Margaret (Trenkle) Miller. He grew up in Creston, graduating from Creston High School in 1957. Butch attended college in Maryville, Missouri.

On Aug. 23, 1958, he was united in marriage to Linda Lea Wood in Creston. After marrying he lived his life in Creston. To this union, three children were born – Corbi, Kerby and Jamie. Butch worked at Vick’s Dry Cleaning Service, purchasing it in 1961. In 1971, he bought out Keesey Cleaners and owned this business until it burnt down in 1980. Butch and Linda divorced in 1976. Butch officiated all across southwest Iowa from 1960 until the 1980’s for high schools and colleges, going on to travel and officiate professionally with the Harlem Globetrotters.

He managed the Crestmoor Golf Course briefly before opening B.M. Sales, which he owned and operated from 1990 to May 2008. He was a member of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church where he served as a member of the Parish Counsel and a member of the St Malachy School Board, was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Creston Elk’s Lodge, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, Crestmoor Golf Club, Quail Unlimited and the Mid-Crest Iowa Cyclone Club.

Butch was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Officiating Hall of Fame and had also been selected as the Creston Citizen of the Year.

Survivors include one daughter, Corbi (husband Joe) Worley of Illinois.; two sons, Kerby (wife Kim) Miller of Greenfield, and Jamie (wife Sara) Miller of Gilbert; two sisters, Marie Link of Creston, and Marilyn Soda of Des Moines; one sister-in-law Marge Miller of Creston; eight grandchildren: Haley, Spencer and Kasey Miller, Heath and Jade Leonard, Harmon Buenzow, Kamryn and Reldon Miller and 17 great-grandchildren.

Butch was preceded in death by his parents, a granddaughter Heather Leonard, a grandson CJ Miller, his brother John “Jake” Miller and his two brothers-in-law Mert Link and Sam Soda.