Thomas Miller

Thomas Miller, 89, of Hopkinton and formerly of Athol, passed away peacefully May 15 at his home after a long struggle with cancer.

Tom was born in Athol on Nov. 19, 1932, to the late Perley “Bill” Miller and the late Agnes (Horrigan) Miller. He grew up in Athol, graduating in the class of 1949, after which he entered the Air Force. He served for several years in flight support during the Korean War while stationed in Japan. After the service, he went back to college at Fitchburg State, earning a degree in education. In 1968, he finished his master’s degree in history. For the majority of his career, he worked as a history teacher and then as an assistant principal at Athol Junior High School. Retiring at age 60, he embarked on a new career in real estate both in Athol and on Cape Cod and then worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute — a job that of everything he did he enjoyed more than anything. Tom loved the outdoors, especially fishing, and enjoyed many a weekend on the Quabbin Reservoir, which he felt was one of the most special places on Earth. He was a diehard sports fan, especially of the Patriots, Red Sox and Bruins.

He leaves his good friend and companion, Andrea Brass of Hopkinton; a son, Brian Miller and wife Beth of Jacksonville, Florida; two sisters, Margaret Kelleher of Harwichport and Nancy Murphy of Athol; and two stepdaughters, Diane Karagianis of Beaufort, South Carolina, and Deborah Strafuss of Weston and their families. He also leaves three grandchildren, Emily Miller of Walden, New York, Matthew Miller of Jacksonville, Florida, and Benjamin Miller of Tallahassee, Florida, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Besides his parents, he was predeceased by two wives, Claire (Farquahar) Miller and Barbara (Shilbis) Miller, as well as a son, Robert Miller.

A funeral was held May 20 in the Fiske Murphy Mack Funeral Home, Orange, followed by burial in the Silver Lake Cemetery, Athol.