Richard Cregger Miller, 77, of Rockbridge County, Virginia, died peacefully on Monday, October 25, 2021, surrounded by his family.

Richard was born in Lexington on August 7, 1944, a son of the late Clarence Little Miller and Mabel Irene Jarvis Miller.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Jean Fitzgerald Miller; daughter, Tracy and husband, David of Rockbridge County; and daughter, Tiffany and husband, Todd of Albemarle County. In addition, he had four grandchildren who will all miss their beloved Paw Paw greatly: Ross Hinty of Hampton, Smith Hinty of Rockbridge County and Miller and Ellison Jenkins of Albemarle County.

Also surviving are his brothers, Will Miller and wife, Gretchen of Roanoke, Paul Miller and wife, Jane of Amherst, Wesley Miller of Lexington, Lloyd Miller of Roanoke; and many nieces and nephews.

As a lifelong resident of Rockbridge, Richard was perhaps best known for his quick wit and sense of humor. It was rare to see him without a smile on his face or a twinkle in his bright blue eyes. No one loved a good joke more than Richard. A bit of a prankster in his younger days, he loved retelling stories of his high school antics and pranks, much to the delight of his grandchildren. He also enjoyed sharing stories of growing up on a farm with four brothers and the shenanigans that ensued. Later in life, his "Paw Paw jokes" became legendary amongst his family. Not one to complain, he never lost his sense of humor and continued to joke and tease his doctors and nurses until the very end.

Though most of his professional life was spent in the construction industry ‒ serving as the first building inspector for Rockbridge County and then later in contractor sales at Spencer Home Center – farming was his true passion. Most nights and weekends when he wasn’t fulfilling his Virginia National Guard duties, you could find him at the farm. It wasn't until he fully retired that he was able to spend all of his days on the farm doing what he loved the most - tending to his cattle. While quarantining during the pandemic, he gained a new farm hand ‒ his loving wife, Jean. They spent many hours riding around in the truck together, talking and watching over the cows.

The family would like to offer their sincere thanks and gratitude to the staff at Augusta Health for their exceptional care and compassion.

Those who knew Richard know he was a simple man who hated being fussed over. In lieu of funeral services, he asked that donations be made in his name to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN38105.

Arrangements are by Harrison Funeral Home & Crematory.