Donnie Lee Miller was born on February 28,1948, in Lake Village, Arkansas. He was the third of 16 children born to the late George and Maxine Miller. Both of his parents, two sisters, Joyce Clark of Pontiac, Michigan, Judy Pace of Las Vegas, Nevada, a brother, John Miller of Jeffersonville, IN, and a son Derek Miller of Columbia,Tennessee preceded him in death.
It was in Lake Village, Arkansas that he professed his faith in Christ at an early age. He attended the public schools in Portland, Arkansas.
Donnie’s diligence and hard work as an assembly worker at the Paper Mill in Warren, Arkansas led him to further his endeavors to relocate to Ponitac, Michigan where he worked for General Motors for 30 years until his retirement.
Donnie was gifted with skillful hands of rebuilding engines in cars, repairing tractors, lawn mowers, and everything he touched. His passion was collecting model cars, airplanes, horses, cowboys, and all things Western. Donnie was an avid rider/driver of his Harley Davis motorcycle and his fast and fancy race cars. He loved traveling to different states competing in races and especially traveling back to Michigan for the “Dream Cruise” to cruise in his race car. We dare not leave out his vibrant orange Dodge Ram, that he called, “The Rumble Bee”.
Donnie departed this life and went home to be with the Lord on June 18, 2023, at Maury Regional Hospital in Columbia,TN. His precious memories will be cherished by his children Derek Odneal, Damon (Kimberly) Odneal, and Dontae Miller of Pontiac, MI; two bonus children, LaTanya Wyatt of Murfreesboro, TN, and Troy Franklin of Cleveland, OH; grandchildren Sasha, Zarah, Derek Jr, and Jaquille Odneal, Nalyjah, Zy’liah, and Lei’lah Miller. Bonus grandchildren; Tyler and Timothy Parnell, Levier, Omari, Saniya, Alexis and Kamryn Franklin; siblings Georgia (Robert) Matthews of Southaven, MS, Earl (Wendy) Miller of Waterford, MI, Benny (Sharnin) Miller of Rochester, MI, Cherry (Andrew) Rose of Waterford, MI, Janice (Abdullah) Shahid of Oakland Township, MI, JoAnn (Clyde) Dobbins, of Little Rock, AR. Brenda Hurner, of Pontiac, MI, Sheliah (Jeffrey) Campbell of Fresno,Tx, Gregory (Jackie) Miller of Memphis, TN, Bruce (Jackie) of Pontiac MI, Viney (Rodney) Jackson of Fort Worth,TX, Chandra (Diaz) Johnson of Arlington, TX, adopted brother, Franklin King of Elk Grove, IL; adopted sisters Joyce (Howard) Chambers of Pontiac, MI, Jewell Grant of Dermott, AR; stepsisters Sally Wilson of Hamburg, AR and Irma Grant of St. Louis, MO; two aunts Mildred Crosby of Warren, AR and Barbara Dobbins of Chicago, IL, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and two special friends; Eddie Norman and Tina Spencer.
A service for Donnie will be Saturday, July 1, 2023 at 11:00 AM at Williams Funeral Home in Columbia, Tennessee. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the start of the service. Donnie will be laid to rest next to his wife at Polk Memorial Gardens.
Williams Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
