In memoriam
Beloved music professor Ronald Miller passed away in August 2024 at Messiah Lifeways. He attended Messiah College and then completed a B.S. in music education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He taught instrumental music in the Susquehanna School District before studying musicology at Indiana University in Bloomington (Indiana), where he earned his doctorate.
Miller joined the Messiah faculty in 1968 and taught musicology, conducted choral ensembles and served as department chair for 22 years. He founded the Messiah College Singers, an 18-member touring choir that visited England three times. After retiring in 2003, he was named professor emeritus. Richard Roberson, former dean, said, “Ron studied with leading, internationally known musicologists and could have pursued research at the highest levels, but his focus was always on his teaching.”
Colleague Bill Higgins said, “Few universities the size of Messiah had the luxury of having a full time musicologist on staff. Literally all of our graduates who attended top graduate schools told me they passed the music history entrance exams with no deficiencies. Ron taught music history with great enthusiasm and very high standards. We all were blessed with his teaching and personality.”
Roberson added, “Music history can be deadly dull in the wrong hands, but students loved his courses, and it delighted him to see them do well on the music history entrance exams. He was both deeply loved and respected by students, an outstanding model of a musician and a man of faith.”
We offer our deepest sympathies to his family, which includes many Messiah alumni: loving wife of 62 years, Joyce (Hilsher) Miller ’62; children Jeffrey S. Miller ’93 and wife Mindi ’93, Kathryn Miller-Jensen and husband Kyle Jensen, and Suzanne McInroy ’99 and husband Mark; brothers James Miller ’54 and wife Eleanor ’57, and Leon Miller and wife Joan; and grandchildren Olivia ’25 and Eden Miller, Charlotte and Lucille Jensen, and Oliver, Fiona and Sidney McInroy.
We are deeply grateful that the Millers directed memorial gifts to the Ronald L. and Joyce H. Miller Scholarship Fund, in care of Messiah University, One University Avenue, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.