Bradenton business family patriarch dies at 74
BRADENTON -- Don Miller possessed many qualities.
Caring. Generous. Visionary.
"What's happening now in downtown Bradenton parallels his vision from years ago -- to have an active vibrant downtown," said his son, Hugh Miller.
That vision will be part of Mr. Miller's legacy.
He died Tuesday morning after a prolonged battle with cancer.
Mr. Miller was 74.
A celebration of his life will take place 11 a.m. Friday at Christ Episcopal Church, 4030 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
A native of Highland Park, Mich., and Army veteran, Mr. Miller and his family moved to Bradenton in 1967 and joined his parents in building a nursing home. In the ensuing years Mr. Miller, his brother, Dan (the future congressman), and eventually his son amassed a diverse collection of investments and development projects.
Among them are Gulf Coast Corporate Park near Interstate 275, Segrest Fish Farms in Gibsonton and Continental Plastics in southern Manatee.
Yet the primary focus was always developing downtown Bradenton -- the River Oaks Condominiums, Riverview Center office complex, Courtyard senior living facility and what is now the SunTrust Bank building.
"Don was one of the real economic pioneers of Bradenton," said Mayor Wayne Poston. "He always thought downtown was a wonderful example of what this city could be. A destination for people who live here and who visit, make it livelier and more attractive."
One of those master strokes was securing a 99-year lease from the city on the old Memorial Pier along the Manatee River in 1974.
"He bought the pier when it was falling into disrepair," Poston said. "He put the restaurant there (presently Pier 22) and spent a lot of money renovating it and keeping it one of the historical highlights of Bradenton."
Mr. Miller was also a member of the Bradenton Downtown Development Authority (DDA) from its inception in 1974 until 1993.
As part of the DDA, he helped bring Champs headquarters downtown, as well the school and county administration buildings -- all in areas considered blighted.
"When he got involved (downtown) was going in the opposite direction," Hugh Miller said. "It's taken a long time, but that vision is coming to fruition."
Mr. Miller's daughter, Susan Miller Kelly, saw her father from a different side.
The savvy businessman was a soft touch.
That went for her and her daughters.
"He lived for his granddaughters," Kelly said. "If they wanted something and Mom said no, they'd go to Pop Pop and he'd say yes to everything and bought anything the girls wanted."
Mr. Miller's support of his son's Little League teams and his daughter's softball teams didn't stop with them.
"He was always front and center at the piano recitals, music recitals, soccer games, softball games, volleyball matches -- all with a big smile," Kelly said. "He loved his family."
That went for his employees families, too.
Mr. Miller paid for several of their children's college educations.
"It was not a loan, but a gift," Kelly said.
His philanthropy was felt by many, including numerous organizations he served with or supported, including the YMCA, Salvation Army, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County and St. Stephen's School.
Mr. Miller was also a former Hern with the DeSoto Historical Society and former Manatee Chamber of Commerce president.
"He was involved in every major social and professional organization in town," Mayor Poston said. "Everything that was going on in Bradenton, he was a part of it."
Vin Mannix, local columnist, can be reached at 941-745-7055. Twitter: @vinmannix
This story was originally published June 13, 2012 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Bradenton business family patriarch dies at 74."