Edward K. Miller
Edward K. Miller, 86, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 14, 2022. He was a faithful believer in our Lord Jesus Christ and a devout Catholic at St. Peter’s Church in Wheelersburg, Ohio. Ed learned strong values early in life from his father and mother Richard and Elizabeth Miller. He was the sixth child born of ten in his family. While Coach Ed Miller’s passion was football, his true love was his surviving wife Darlene (Dart), and his seven children Karen (Mike) Leesburg, Belinda (Carl) Smith, Terilyn (Allan) Holland, Deanna (Bruce) Parsley, Edward Jr. (Shellie) Miller, Matthew (Jennifer) Miller, and Mark (Amy) Miller. He also enjoyed and adored his 18 Grandchildren, and 17 Great-Grandchildren as… “Pappy Ed”.
Ed graduated from Wheelersburg High School in 1954 and continued his education with a football scholarship to Eastern Kentucky University. He had an outstanding collegiate career and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills after graduation. In 1962 Coach Miller began his illustrious career at Portsmouth Notre Dame where in ten years he compiled a record of 77 wins, 12 losses, and 2 ties. Half of his losses (6) came during his initial season. In 1972, he returned to Wheelersburg and brought his leadership and coaching skills to his alma mater. He served as head football coach from 1972 until 1991. As Fred Adkins summed-up in a Portsmouth Daily Times article named “Our Man of the Hour – Coach Ed Miller”; he stated, “Ed brought us more than a tradition of winning. He brought us pride in ourselves…a pride that begets confidence. Now you see people lift their head a little higher when they say, I’m from Wheelersburg”. His coaching record at Wheelersburg was 173 wins, 29 losses, 2 ties. This gives him a total career record of 250 wins, 41 losses and 4 ties (85% winning percentage). After reviewing these accomplishments, a sportswriter stated “when you add together all the lives that have been touched by Coach Miller, you may come up with a much more incredible number than the 250 wins he recorded on the football field”.
Ed’s list of coaching accomplishments are numerous. One State Championship, three Mythical State Championships, two State Semi-Finalists, three State Regional Championships, twenty S.O.C. League Championships, State Coach-of-the-Year three times, S.O.C. Coach-of the year seventeen times, and eleven undefeated seasons. His honors include Floodwall Star signing in Portsmouth, Ohio, first Scioto County coach to be inducted into the Ohio High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame, naming of Ed Miller Stadium, and a proud member of the Wheelersburg High School Hall of Fame. Ed had an imposing influence throughout his coaching years by instilling that discipline, dedication, mental-toughness, and hard-work pay-off; and great things can be accomplished with great effort. Most importantly, Coach taught us the value of team and that teamwork can make anything possible. He will be greatly missed, but no doubt these principles will continue to live within his assistant coaches and former players, whom he dearly loved. Ed’s players were part of his family, and the discipline and work ethic they learned on the field has no doubt helped many translate those lessons into success in the great game of life.
Visitations will be held at Wheelersburg High School between 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 19, 2022; with recitation of the rosary at 9:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 20, 2022 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, 2167 Lick Run-Lyra Rd, Wheelersburg with Rev. Joseph Yokum as the celebrator. A mercy meal will follow in the Parish Hall. In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution may be made in memory of Coach Miller to the “COACH ED MILLER SCHOLARSHIP FUND” benefitting Notre Dame and Wheelersburg High School student athletes. Please send to the COACH ED MILLER SCHOLARSHIP FUND, PO Box 264, Wheelersburg, Ohio 45694. Harrison-Pyles Funeral Home in Wheelersburg has been entrusted with the arrangements. Condolences to the family may be made at www.harrison-pyles.com.
It is with a sense of profound sadness and sorry that I learned today of the passing today of my longtime friend and coaching opponent Ed Miller. He was always so very tough, but fair, in his approach to the game, and making better men out of the boys in his charge. He was always very good to me as a coach, and later, as a game broadcaster of his games for the radio. We have so many good stories to tell, that would make us laugh uncontrollably. He was one of a kind.
His legend will continue for years, and his accomplishments will be talked about for years to come. I send my most sincere sympathies to all of the families that Ed called his own.