Ted Miller, a fixture on the Sequim City Council for more than 10 years, died on April 10 of a stroke.
The 74-year-old retired CIA analyst and attorney was elected to the Sequim City Council in 2009 and was serving his third term on council prior to his death.
His wife Mary said he died on Friday afternoon and this June would have been their 48th wedding anniversary.
“He was funny as heck and always teasing,” she said. “He was very caring.”
Mayor William Armacost said city staff and councilors are saddened to hear of Miller’s passing.
“He was an extremely kind and compassionate human being with a great sense of humor,” Armacost said.
“His experience and insight will be sorely missed. Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones.”
Miller was born and raised in Portland, Mich., and received his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University.
Mary said he intended to become a teacher but was recruited by the CIA and worked for the agency as an analyst from 1967-1994.
Prior to his retirement, Miller earned his law degree from George Mason University in 1991 and worked part-time as an attorney after his retirement before moving to Sequim in 1997.
Sequim
Mary said when they retired, Ted promised her they’d move to the West Coast. Coincidentally, one of Ted’s co-workers mentioned Sequim and its nice weather at his “going away” party.
“We moved out here never having been here,” Mary said.
“We rented a place for six months and within two months of living here we bought a house (in the Port Angeles zip code).”
They moved into Sequim city limits in 2006.
City service
Ted always wanted to get into public office but couldn’t during his time with the CIA, Mary said, so when they moved into the city he joined Sequim’s planning commission and eventually ran for city council.
Fellow city councilors chose Miller as Mayor Pro Tem/Deputy Mayor for three stints from 2012-2013, 2016-2017 and in January of this year.
Mary said Ted intended not to run again after his term expired in Dec. 2021 because they planned to travel more. He was a fan of traveling on cruise ships, she said.
Ted was also an avid duplicate bridge player, and he enjoyed card and board games.
City staff said Miller represented the Sequim City Council on the City Finance Committee, Clallam County Law and Justice Council, Peninsula Responders Emergency Program, Homelessness Task Force, Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, Growth Management Act Regional Committee, Clallam County Disability Board, North Olympic Development Council and Clallam Transit System Board.
He was also elected to the Clallam County Charter Review Commission twice.
Vacancy
Miller and other city councilors were set to vote on four candidates for the vacant seventh city council seat on April 13 but city councilors tentatively postponed it to April 27 due to technology issues.
Following state protocol, the city council has within 90 days to fill Miller’s seat or Clallam County Commissioners will appoint a new councilor.
For more information on Sequim City Council, call 360-683-4139 or visit www.sequimwa.gov.
More on Miller
Mary said the family requests no flowers and they will include information on a Celebration of Life in an obituary. A memorial kiosk will be set up on the Civic Center Plaza, 152 W. Cedar St., where the community can leave cards and condolences for the family.
Memorial donations in “Memory of Ted Miller” can be made to the Sequim Boys & Girls Club, and Shipley Center.
The Millers have two children — Elizabeth, of Wake Forest, North Carolina, and Herbert of King George, Va. — along with a daughter-in-law, Sandra, and a granddaughter, Eilee.
Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.
