The death has occurred of John Miller from Spink, a man highly respected in farming, business, community and sporting circles.
He was aged in his early 80s.
Originally from Timahoe, Mr Miller moved to Spink in the 1960s when he bought a farm in the area, which he built up considerably over the years farming alongside his sons.
He was a hugely regarded figure locally and further afield, combining his farming and business acumen by rising through the ranks of the Glanbia structure, where he served on the national board of directors for many years.
His involvement at that level of Glanbia was no doubt a factor in the investment and development of the local branch in Spink.
But he was a ferocious community man too, putting his shoulder to the wheel to various local endeavours. His family have continued that strong community involvement in the area in recent times.
He was particularly associated with the Spink GAA club, whom he helped to re-form in the early 1980s after the club had been dormant for a number of years.
Though in the latter stages of his career, he pulled on the club jersey on a number of occasions but it was in his role as trainer/manager that he was most influential, steering the club from Junior ‘B’ to senior in the space of a couple of years, winning Junior ‘B’ in 1986, Junior ‘A’ in 1987 and Intermediate in 1989.
They spent a number of years at senior, where they reached a couple of quarter-finals and went toe-to-toe with the fine St Joseph’s and Portlaoise teams of that era.
A talented footballer in his younger years, he was a senior championship winner with Timahoe in 1969, their one and only success at that level. John was full-back on that team where he was joined by his brothers Dick, Tom, Jim and Bobby.
Indeed the Miller family from Timahoe have been heavily involved in various aspects of life across Laois.
His brother Dick is a former Laois GAA chairman and Laois County Councillor, while his late brothers Pat and Bobby also made immense contributions.
Pat, who passed away in 2018, owned and ran Miller’s Hardware in Portlaoise as well as being a leading figure in the Laois Chamber of Commerce and various trading groups.
Bobby is regarded as one of Laois’s greatest ever footballers and a man who enjoyed huge success as manager, primarily with Eire Og of Carlow, prior to his sudden death in 2006.
John died peacefully following a short illness bravely borne, surrounded by his loving family.
He is predeceased by his adored wife Maisie, father Tom, mother Mary, brothers Pat and Bobby, sisters Agnes and Julia.
John is deeply regretted by his children Tom, Joe, Sean, Seamus, Robert, Mairead and Mary, daughters in law Grainne, Julie, Helen, Alison and Amanda, sons in law Mick and Ronan, brothers Chris, Jim, Tom and Dick, sisters Mary and Margaret, brother in law, sisters in law, nieces, nephews and his very much adored 20 grandchildren, relatives and friends.
John is reposing at his residence from 6pm until 9pm on Wednesday evening and from 12 noon on Thursday.
Rosary at 7pm on Thursday evening with Removal at 7.30 to St Lazarian’s Church, Knock arriving at 8 oc.
Funeral Mass on Friday at 12 noon followed by interment in the adjoining cemetery.
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