James A. Miller

James A. Miller (Jim) was born in Canadian, Texas to Ruby B. and Alvin James Miller. Jim raised his family just outside Houston, TX. As a young man he served in the Army National Guard. He began his career in the Petroleum Industry in 1956 at Texas Butadiene in Channelview, TX. In 1962 Sinclair bought the refinery, and merged with Atlantic Richfield and formed ARCO. Jim later moved to Custer, WA in 1970 taking a job as a supervisor in the Coker unit at the ARCO refinery in Ferndale. He retired in 1986.

Jim married Barbara F. Miller in 1975. They enjoyed over 40 years together traveling in their motorhome and later snow birding between Birch Bay and Surprise, Arizona. Jim loved to travel and claimed to have a little bit of gypsy blood coursing through his veins.

Jim enjoyed walking, swimming, rock-hounding, wood carving, listening to music, playing cards, reading and sharing stories of his travels and life in his younger years in Texas. He collected a variety of wooden sticks in his travels and created beautiful canes and walking sticks from them. In his later years he discovered his talent for creating jewelry from the stones that he and Barb had collected.

Jim lost his beloved Barbara in July 2017 after a long battle with Parkinson’s. Not long after her passing, he received the news that he had terminal metastatic lung cancer. He had a great attitude about his life and his prognosis. He found comfort knowing that he would soon be reunited with Barbara.

He lived at home at Affinity of Bellingham until the middle of March. He enjoyed the comfort and care provided by the Whatcom Hospice community and developing relationships with his nurses, the chaplain, and the social workers. When he was ready, he asked to be moved to the Whatcom Hospice House where he lived out his final days.

Jim enjoyed the Bellingham Threshold Singers who came to his home to sing for him and also visited on numerous occasions at Whatcom Hospice House. Their music and connection brought him indescribable comfort and joy. Jim’s family will be forever grateful for the care shown to our Dad by the Hospice community.

He lived every moment with intention and purpose. He planned and organized right up to the very end. He wanted his children, siblings, and friends to know how much he loved them and he made sure to express his love and gratitude to each one of them before he passed.

Jim is survived by his children and their spouses: Keith B. and Rochelle Miller, Richard A. Weatherby, Kimbra E. Miller and Chris I. Calverley, and Sharon L. Weatherby, his grandchildren: James P. Miller, John M. Swartos, Holly L. Swartos, Robin D. Aldridge, Corynne L. Miller, and Lindsey Salvaggio, his brother Gene Miller, and sisters Joyce Mathis, and Audrey Cockrell.