JOPLIN, MO — Tripp Miller passed away early Monday morning, May 23, 2011, after sustaining severe injuries from the tornado that hit Joplin on Sunday afternoon. Tripp was the son of Patricia Gray Miller and Ray Donald Miller, Jr. of Joplin and was born at St. John's Hospital in Joplin on July 20, 1961. He graduated from Collegeview State School in 1982. After graduating, Tripp began working at the Sheltered Workshop in Carthage for two years and then joined the work force at Joplin Workshop, Inc. and worked there for the last 27 years. He was a lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church in Joplin and attended regularly his God's Fellowship Sunday School class. Some of Tripp's many loves in his full life were living with his childhood friends, Rick Fox and Mark Farmer, at their home at 2302 Iowa; his special friends, Penny Morehouse, at Joplin Regional Center and James Newman, case worker of connections case management and Tripp's support staff of Community Support Services; bowling weekly with friends at 4th Street Bowl; meeting with friends at 1st Presbyterian Church; his title of "Number 1 Uncle" to his five nieces and four nephews; traveling to see his brother and sisters; going to Mizzou football games with his family where he was a very proud member of the University of Missouri Alumni Association; and rooting, as a life-long fan, for his St. Louis Cardinals and then calling his Dad to let him know the results of the game. Tripp loved sports. He was an enthusiastic fan of local high school sports teams, particularly the Parkwood Bears and Joplin Eagles. He was a participant in the Special Olympics since his school days. He excelled at bowling and in his early years, swimming. He won his last of many gold medals at the State Special Olympics in the fall of 2010 at 4th Street Bowl in Joplin by bowling the best game of his life. Tripp was a happy, gentle, kind, and loving man. He didn't know a stranger. He was your friend for life even if he just met you and was always so glad to see you. He touched the lives of so many people, and we were all better people having him in our life. His family will miss him terribly every moment of every day. Tripp is survived by his sisters, Melinda Miller Crowe and her husband, Lawrence Kerdolff Crowe, of Overland Park, Kan.; Rebecca Miller Gurley and her husband, Curtis Raymond Gurley, of Farmington, N.M., and Mary Elizabeth Williams of Galena, Kan.; brother, Thomas Gray Miller and his wife Patti O¹Sullivan Miller of St. Louis, Mo.; nephews, Lawrence Kerdolff (Kert) Crowe, Jr., Nathan Miller Crowe, Jackson Miller Gurley, Davis Cummins Gurley; nieces Laura Elizabeth Crowe, Elizabeth Leigh Williams, Riley Grace Miller, Molly Ann Miller and Madison Rose Miller; uncles William R. Gray and family of New Berlin, Wis., Thomas R. Gray and family of Columbia, Mo.; aunt Patricia Miller Righthouse, of Broken Arrow, Okla. and many additional cousins and relatives. A celebration of life memorial service will be held at the 1st Presbyterian Church located at 509 South Pearl, Joplin, at 2 p.m. Friday, May 27, with a visitation following in John Knox Hall at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to the 1st Presbyterian Church or the Joplin Sheltered Workshop.
Obituaries
Related Photos
-
miller,ray.jpg
Condolences
- Obituaries
-
-
Stephen N. Spicer
Stephen N. Spicer, age 59, of Neosho, Mo., passed away on Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, following a long term illness.
-
William “Joe” Morris
William “Joe” Morris, 91, passed away at 5:24 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, at Mercy McCune Brooks Hospital, Carthage, Mo.
-
Rosa Craw
Rosa Craw, 72, of Verona, Mo., passed away Friday Feb. 17, 2012, in her home.
-
Clifford E. Skaggs
Clifford E. Skaggs, 69, Seneca, Mo., passed into eternal rest at 12:50 a.m. at Mercy Hospital in Joplin after a long illness.
-
Violet J. Watkins
Violet J. Watkins, age 91, of Joplin, Mo., passed away at 8:40 a.m. Sunday, on her birthday, Feb. 19, 2012, at the Webb City Health and Rehab Center following a six week illness.
-
Eunice Wise
Mrs. Eunice K. Wise, age 88, of Webb City, Mo., passed away Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012, at the Spring River Christian Village.
-
Eldon Pendergraft
Eldon M. “Dude” Pendergraft, age 85, of Miami, Okla. went to be with his Lord on Feb. 19, 2012, at 6:40 p.m. at the Miami Baptist Regional Hospital in Miami.
-
Nancy Cornwell
Nancy K. Cornwell, 68, passed away on Friday, Feb. 17, 2012, at St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin.
-
Frances McGinnis Gerhard
Laura Frances McGinnis Gerhard, age 88, of Lee’s Summit, Mo., formerly of Joplin, passed away at 7:51 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, at Wilshire at Lakewood in Lee’s Summit.
-
Gary Dean Nixon
Gary Dean Nixon, age 43 of Baxter Springs, passed from this life Friday, Feb. 17, 2012, at Freeman Hospital, Joplin, Mo.
- More Obituaries Headlines
-
2 More Western Journalists Die in Syria
7 Killed As Afghan Quran Protests Turn Violent
Santorum Goes After Obama on Energy
Judge Says Lindsay Lohan in the "Home Stretch"
Father Accused of Using Leash on 11 Year Old
Obama Helps Break Ground on Black History Museum
Raw Video: Dozens Dead in Argentina Train Crash
Megaupload's Kim Dotcom Released on Bail
Two Western Journalists Killed in Syria
Wounded Vets Regain Some Camaraderie in Kitchen
Man Accused of Repeatedly Running Over Lover
Ga. Authorities Say 5 Dead in Spa Shooting
Raw Video: Obama Belts Out Blues
FDA: New Suppliers to Ease 2 Drug Shortages
Doctor Details Cancer Drug Needs and Shortage
Raw Video: New Orleans Revels in Mardi Gras
'Super PACs' Overtaking Campaigns' Fundraising
Raw Video: Mardi Gras Underway in New Orleans
Mild Weather Could Affect Syrup Production
Ex-IMF's Strauss-Kahn Questioned on Prostitution
