Robert D. Miller

Robert Dean “Bob” Miller, age 83 of Fordville, North Dakota died Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at First Care Health Center of Park River, ND.

Bob was born June 30, 1939 in Grafton, ND, the son of Dean and Eleanor (Trzcinski) Miller.  He grew up on the family farm, attending country school, then 7 ^th and 8 ^th grades in Fordville, and then graduated from Walsh County Agriculture School with the class of 1958.  He played football for the Aggies, earning the nickname “The Crusher”.  Bob was active in 4H, music, FFA: holding a state officer position and singing in the national FFA chorus.  He graduated from NDSU with both an animal science and history degree.  While at NDSU, he played freshman football, was a member of the Saddle & Sirloin Club, on livestock judging teams, and showed in the Little International.

Bob married Rose Lynne Beetz in 1961 in East Grand Forks, MN.  They lived on the family farm, where they raised four children and farmed with his father Dean and brother Jim.  After family, Bob’s greatest joy was raising registered shorthorn cattle.  He loved the red, white, and Roans.  There were not many that were truer to the shorthorn breed.

He was a member of the American Shorthorn Association, ND Shorthorn Association, ND Stockman’s Association, and founded the ND Shorthorn News with help from the Ness Press Tri County Sun of Fordville.  Bob enjoyed many years of the family showing cattle of the ND Winter Show and the National Western in Denver, CO.  He was honored with “Builder of the Breed” in 1977, “Man of the Year” in 1986, and in 1999, ND Winter Show Appreciation Award.   Bob was also a member of First Presbyterian Church of Fordville.

Bob was a stubborn, hardworking, honest man who instilled strong work ethic and love of the land in his family.  He enjoyed gardening, dancing the polka, and early rock and roll.  He loved talking politics and history.  Following his stroke in 2021, he was happy to be able to be home, but disappointed he couldn’t be helping on the farm.

Bob is survived by his wife of 62 years, Rose Lynne, daughters Roberta Francis (Gene) of Adams, ND and Lisa Montgomery, New York, NY; son Philip (Marilyn), Devils Lake, ND; daughter-in-law Joan Miller Swartz (Jarrett); brother Jim (Joan), sister Linda Larson (Gary), sisters and brothers-in-law: Daphne (Bob) Sobolik and Ann (Dennis) Molenaar; grandchildren: Crosley Zahradka, Riley Francis, Phoebe Francis, Maris Miller, and Emmitt Miller; great grandchildren: Kellen Zahradka and Florence Silewski and many nieces and nephews also survive.  He was preceded in death by his parents, mother and father-in-law, brother Mike, beloved son Ian, and son-in-law, Marvin Montgomery.

Funeral Services will be held on Monday, March 20, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at the Federated Church of Park River.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.  Interment will be at Oak Grove Cemetery of Fordville in the spring.