Joseph Morris Miller (11/1/32-9/28/21) passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 surrounded by his family.  Joe was the second son of Earl and Nora O'Connor Miller of Huntington, WV.  He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Earl Miller Jr.

In 1955 Joe married Kathryn Kent of Jay, Fl.  They were married for 66 years and had two children, Margo Leslie Miller and Kent Joseph Miller, and one grandchild, Sarah Kathryn "Sadie" Miller.

From a young age Joe was always very focused on his goals.  He fell in love with flying and as a teenager worked diligently at the local airports washing planes and doing chores to earn money for flying lessons.  He earned his private pilot's license in 1949.  By attending school year-round, he was able to graduate from high school at age 16 and college when he was 19.  He earned a B.S. in Chemistry from Marshall University and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Being a Naval Aviator was one of his major goals.  He joined the U.S. Navy in 1953 and earned his "Wings of Gold" in 1955.  As a helicopter pilot, he served on the U.S. carrier Antietam performing anti-submarine duties during the Suez Canal crisis.  After serving four years in the Navy, he returned to civilian life.

Joe had a very successful early career selling industrial chemicals by the train car for Union Carbide, and later Stouffer Chemical Company, where by 1962 he had been promoted to Assistant Midwest Sales Manager for Stouffer.

While pursuing his M.B.A. at the University of Chicago, Joe became increasingly interested in the famous Chicago commodities markets.  In 1964 he decided to switch careers and go to work for a commodities brokerage company and learn that business.  He managed a brokerage office in Palo Alto, CA for three years, then returned to Chicago to run the floor operations for A.G. Edwards and Sons.  In 1980, he bought his own membership at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and became an independent trader.  He was elected to the CME Board of Governors where he served for eight years.  During his time at the CME, he was instrumental in getting the financial futures business established, which has become a bedrock for the world financial system.  To this day, interest rate, equity, and foreign exchange market risk is managed and hedged through the futures and options markets of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Upon his retirement in 1989, Joe and Kathy moved to Flat Rock, NC where they enjoyed 20 wonderful years.  After several years of splitting time between their homes in Flat Rock, NC, Pensacola, FL, and their farm in Kentucky, they decided to permanently reside in Pensacola, where they have lived for the past decade.

Joe's booming laugh and hearty sense of humor will be missed by many.  He always had a kind word for everyone and was very generous in helping others.  He was a true gentleman, who always treated others with dignity, respect and fairness.  His hard work inspired others to improve their lives too.  He will be greatly missed by family and friends.