Obituary of Bruce D. Mc Miller

Bruce D. McMiller, 68, of Wisconsin Rapids passed away Monday, April 22, 2019 at Aspirus Wausau Hospital, surrounded by his loving family.

Services honoring his life will be held 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wisconsin Rapids, officiated by Pastor Jonathan Petzold, with his final resting place to be Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will take place on Wednesday, May 1, 2019 from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at Herman-Taylor Funeral Home and Thursday, May 2, 2019 from 10:00 A.M. until the time of the funeral service at the church.  Online condolences may be expressed at www.taylorfuneralhome.net. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to American Heart Association or Immanuel Lutheran School.

Bruce was born July 27, 1950 in Stevens Point to Donald and Rosetta (Boettcher) McMiller. He was baptized at St. Paul’s Lutheran Stevens Point. Bruce attended school at St. Paul’s Lutheran in Stevens Point and Immanuel Lutheran Grade School in Wisconsin Rapids. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1968. Bruce attended UWSP. He taught Sunday School at Immanuel Lutheran School. Bruce earned God and Country Boy Scout award, Eagle Scout, and Order of the Arrow. He coached Walther League Basketball at Immanuel Lutheran School. Bruce married Debra A. Johnson on December 1, 1973. They were blessed with 45 years of marriage. They were further blessed with a daughter, Holly Beth, on September 7th, 1979.

He began his career as an Assessor Tech for the city of Wisconsin Rapids. Bruce went on to work for the town of Grand Rapids as an Assistant Assessor. He then went to work for the Wood County Parks Department, as a Snowmobile Trails manager. Bruce also helped out in Soil and water conservation for Wood County. In 1977, he started working for Village of Plover as an Assessor, he then advanced to Building Inspector and Community Developer. In 1997 joined the City of Wisconsin Rapids as Community Development Director until the time of his retirement. Bruce also worked part-time as Assessor for the villages of Rudolph and Almond.

Bruce looked forward to vacation time at Camp Luther, Three Lakes, Wisconsin with his family, which was a long-standing tradition.  He was an avid Packers, Brewers, Bucks, Badgers, and NASCAR fan. He volunteered with daughter, Holly, at PAC4 River Cities Community Access Channel, filming numerous programs. Bruce enjoyed fishing, reading, listening to music, and spending time with his dogs, Mario and Koko.

Bruce is survived by wife, Debra; his daughter, Holly; his mother and step-father, Rosetta and  Earl Ziegler; his sister, Gail (Boyd) Jordan; his brothers: Jeff (Deanna) McMiller, Jason (Kathy) McMiller; his step-sisters, Diane (Keith) LaBlaine and Dawn Zellner; he is further survived by many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews. He is preceded in death by his father, Donald E. McMiller; his grandparents Eugene and Olga McMiller and Frank and Nila Boettcher, as well as, his mother and father-in-law, Victoria and Harry Johnson.