Miller family reunion brings together decades of marital bliss

Published 11:44 am Thursday, October 2, 2008

SNOQUALMIE VALLEY – There are legends passed down in the Snoqualmie Valley involving loggers, fishermen, businessmen and farmers, but few stories center around the topic of love and commitment. The Miller family could be considered one of those unusual stories. Out of the eight siblings in the Miller family, all have been married for more than 50 years.

The Millers held a family reunion on Aug. 22, which was attended by more than 66 people who came to celebrate family tradition. The legend of the Miller family seems to be passed on through its generations. Grandchildren, great-grandchildren and close friends congregated to celebrate memories over fried chicken and just maybe the best chocolate chip cookies the Valley has to offer.

The beginning of this legend started with Herbert Wright Miller and Daisy Belle Miller, who married Sept. 19, 1919, in Montana. Both had been raised as only children and both were determined to not let their children live that same way.

They gave birth to eight children, and helped out many others. Marilyn, who is the youngest of the eight, believed that her parents fostered a loving atmosphere that was not only great for their children, but also inviting to others.

“Along with us, our parents also cared for 14 other children and about six adults,” Marilyn said. “It never felt too busy or too crammed; the way that our parents raised us always made you feel like you were an only child.”

One of the adopted children, Doug Lodge, still remains a close member of the family. Older daughter Sarah May Wilson remembered the love Doug had for his family.

“He wanted so bad to be a member of the family that he proposed to each of the daughters,” Sarah said. “He was like a brother to us, so none of us were too pleased.”

The family moved to the Snoqualmie Valley in 1936 and their first home was a chicken coop with bunks. With time, they built a house in Ernie’s Grove nestled below Mount Si. None of the children have left Washington state and either continue to live in the Snoqualmie Valley or nearby.

Another interesting aspect of these children is their drive to achieve. Although none of the children received more than a high-school level education, each excelled further than could be imagined with every child achieving at least a supervisory level in management.

One of the biggest success stories was Herbert Miller Jr., who worked at the Union Bank of California in Seattle. He became a vice president of the bank and was recognized for his work by having a street and a mall in Alaska named after him. The boulevard’s name is Herb Miller Boulevard and the mall is named Bentley Mall, which was the name of the trust Herbert used to manage through the bank.

While all of the children have had different lives, they all agreed that communication was the secret behind the success of each of their marriages.

“It’s all about compromise on the side of the man,” Marilyn said.