In Memoriam: Dr. Robert O. (Bob) Miller

Chris Beytes

Esteemed bulbman Dr. Bob Miller, long-time teacher, researcher, grower and all-around horticultural character, passed away at the age of 92 after a battle with bladder cancer.

His son, Dr. Bill Miller of Cornell University and another noted bulbman shared the following about his dad:

Bob had a long career in floriculture, starting at Ohio State as a beloved professor (1958-1966), doing research on Easter lilies and poinsettias in Wooster and teaching courses in Columbus.

In 1966, he and his family moved to Smith River, California, to join Dahlstrom & Watt Bulb Farms, and shortly thereafter began a program of greenhouse construction to supply the West Coast markets. Always a major Easter lily bulb supplier, he moved heavily into foliage propagation, shipping rooted cuttings throughout the U.S. Over time, D&W also became a major supplier of dormant hydrangeas for spring holiday markets.

Bob was an informative and popular speaker at the Ohio Short Course and served many years as a director of the Seeley Conference. He was loved by numerous former students and industry associates, who appreciated his quick wit, to-the-point manner and engaging storytelling.

He retired from D&W in 2007 and became a master woodworker. He’s survived by his wife, Alice, and five children: Jim, Rob, Bill, Brian and Jennifer, 11 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. GT