Avon Miller of Port Angeles passed away on June 16, 2020. His friends and family remember him as a kind and gentle man who loved sharing history about the early logging camps at the west end of Clallam County.

He was born in Port Angeles to Charles and Mary Hampton Miller on Oct. 1, 1923, and grew up in the logging camps at Beaver and Sappho. Avon attended Beaver Elementary School and graduated from Quillayute High School (Forks) in 1941.

Immediately after graduation, he enlisted in the Navy, where he served aboard vessels in the Aleutian Islands and the Pacific. He was on board the USS Missouri, in Japan, on September 2, 1945, and observed the signing of the Instrument of Surrender which ended WWII.

After leaving the Navy in 1946, he attended classes at Seattle Pacific College and worked a variety of jobs before moving to Fairbanks, Alaska, where he met and married Geraldine Awe. They moved back to Port Angeles and had two children together.

In 1955 Avon started his business, Avon Construction, which he owned and operated until his retirement in 1991.

Avon and Ted Simpson purchased the ski lift equipment at Deer Park in 1965 and moved it to Hurricane Ridge. They owned and operated it until 1970 when it was reorganized as Olympic Ski Lifts, Inc. For several years Avon continued as the operations manager of the Corporation.

In 1985 he married Mary Ann Davis and added her children to the family.

After his retirement, Avon spent time having morning coffee and conversation with friends,-after which he often said, with a laugh, "we solved all of the world's problems today, but we know they'll be back tomorrow,"

He enjoyed traveling, visiting historical museums, building things in his woodworking shop, and writing short stories about growing up in the logging camps during the 1930s.

Avon is survived by his wife, Mary Ann, his children, Leslie Miller (Kurt Grubb) and Scott Miller, (Barbara) his step-children, Vince Davis, (Camron), and Judy Davis, (N.J. Atwood), seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorial donations are suggested in lieu of flowers and can be made to the North Olympic History Center, (formerly known as the Clallam County Historical Society) or to Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club (a not for profit organization formerly known as Olympic Ski Lifts, Inc.)

Drennan & Ford Funeral Home in Port Angeles is entrusted with his arrangements. Please sign the online guestbook for his family at www.drennanford.com .