David Vern Miller, age 60, passed away at his home in Chariton Tuesday, July 11, 2023, after battling cancer.
David was born April 12, 1963, along with his twin brother, Douglas Martin Miller, to Ivan and Ethelmarie (Martin) Miller. They were baptized at United Methodist Church in Fontanelle and confirmed their faith at Bridgewater Methodist Church. David graduated from Bridgewater-Fontanelle schools in 1981.
David was united in marriage May 13, 2013, to Julie Ann (Boseck) Snyder. David and Julie met while both worked at Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic. David was a certified medical lab technician and Julie was an ICU RN.
David (and Doug) earned an associate/applied arts degree/culinary arts and commercial cooking/beginning restaurant management from DMACC. David worked as a chef at The Granary in Greenfield; Sun Valley Golf Country Club in Ringgold County; Elmhurst Country Club in Oskaloosa and Grinnell Country Club. In early 1996, David joined his twin brother, when Doug opened Millers’ Bridgewater Café. Doug and David started their careers while in junior high in this very café, then Mary Lou’s Café. Millers’ Bridgewater Café was known for homestyle cooking and gourmet dinners. In 1997 David and Doug compiled a cookbook titled “Family Recipes, Old Time Stories and Memories,” a treasure to those who have it.
David was a longtime volunteer fire fighter and EMT with Bridgewater Fire Department and was an instructor in CPR/ECC. He also worked for Adair County Ambulance as an EMT-B. David later became a phlebotomist and worked at area hospitals. He then earned a degree in Medical Laboratory Technology and worked at Cass County Memorial Hospital.
In October 2017, David and Julie moved to Centerton, Arkansas, where David worked as a medical lab technician. David and Julie returned to Iowa, moving to Chariton April 2022.
David’s hobbies included traveling, cruises, cooking, cookbook collecting, wood crafting, saw milling, hunting, quilting and making Miller Woods log cabin sets made from native cut timber he milled from Whoopy Hollow trees.
Doug and David made trips to Canada, bear hunting and fishing. He enjoyed vacations to Colorado and Alaska. David never missed “Miller family vacation,” a.k.a. Iowa shotgun deer season.
David is survived by his wife Julie Synder-Miller of Chariton; daughter Holly (Bion) Ingram of Chariton; son Cody (Alex) Snyder of Red Oak; grandchildren: Brooklyn, Taylor and Emerson Ingram of Chariton, Dominic and Franky Snyder and William Whitaker; great-grandchildren: Raylen Pace and Kamdyn Ingram of Chariton; mother-in-law Sue Andersen; sisters-in-law Brooke (Brett) Krahn and April (Jim) Forsythe; siblings Deneise Olson of Greenfield; Dennis Miller of Bridgewater, Diane Schwartz (Lyle) of Story City, Deb Benton-Gevock (Kenny) of Fontanelle and Douglas Miller of Greenfield and extended family.
David was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; sister-in-law Sharon Miller; nephews and nieces: Shawn M. Bollhoefer, Zayden Benton Christensen and James and Isabell Schwartz.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held 4 p.m. Sept. 9 at Bridgewater Activity Center. Following the service, a light meal will be provided. Memorials may be directed to “Take Back Bridgewater” Hanging Flower Basket Project – Donations to “Take Back Bridgewater” c/o Pam Frese, Box 111, Bridgewater, IA 50837, designate “memorial fund for David Miller” and AC