Obituary of Keith Miller

Friends and family will gather on Thursday in Santa Cruz and on Friday in Fresno to honor the life of Keith Miller who died at his Scotts Valley Home on July 7, 2013, following a brief illness. Born in Tranquillity, California, Keith has resided in Santa Cruz County for the past 24 years, and prior to that was a lifelong resident of the Central San Joaquin Valley. He and his late wife Gloria operated a small farm in Tranquillity where the couple raised their two sons. Keith also served as the manager of the Tranquillity Irrigation District and leaves many dear friends and colleagues in that farming community. He was also a lifelong and devoted member of the Church of Christ. Keith graduated from Fresno State College with a degree in Geology. Upon the untimely death of his father in 1952, Keith took over his father's work as the manager of the Tranquillity Irrigation District at the young age of 26. During his 37-year career at the District, he devoted his passion to ensuring that the farmers of Tranquillity had the water they needed to build and grow their farms. For example, Keith worked for decades to secure water rights for the District in a court case that was initiated by his father and ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. As a result of the court decision in this case, all farmers in the District continue to benefit from this legacy of Keith and his father. In addition, his invention of low-cost automatic headgates ensured a steady supply of water at low cost and was eventually used by other water districts around the world. His integrity and dedication to his work and to the town of Tranquillity earned the respect of many. His family will forever remember his dedication to the people who worked hard to earn their living in the San Joaquin Valley. Water brought life to the area, and Keith's passion and love for the management of our precious water resources were of paramount importance to him. Keith is survived by his two sons, and daughters' in-law, Richard and Beth Miller of Needham, Massachusetts, and Jeff and Teri Miller of Fremont, California. He also leaves behind five loving grandchildren and one great grandson. Keith was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 62 years, Gloria Miller in 2010. Friends may pay their respects at a viewing to be held at Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel in Santa Cruz on Thursday, July 11 from 2 p.m until 5 p.m. Burial will be private at Belmont Memorial Park in Fresno on Friday July 12, at 12 noon followed by a public memorial celebration of his life at 1 p.m. at Stephens and Bean Chapel (202 N. Teilman Ave. Fresno, CA) Any kind acts of charity may be made in Keith's name to one of his favorite charities: City of Children by the Lipscomb University Missions Program by calling (615) 966-6049, or Christian Relief Fund by calling (800) 858-4038. To share your thoughts and prayers with the family, please light a candle by visiting www.pacificgardenschapel.com