He’s ‘Just Gotta Keep Busy’ Mike Miller Doesn’t Think Of Helping As A Chore, It’s Just How He Gets His Exercise

Thu., Aug. 3, 1995

Mike Miller, 65, doesn’t think of his continual chores and lawn mowing as a sacrifice. To him, it’s just exercise.

“I gotta keep busy,” he says. “After I retired, I sat around and gained quite a bit of weight. I had to lose it, so now I do all those things. Now I feel a lot better.”

His neighbors are sure glad he didn’t take up jogging instead. Depending on the season, Miller mows lawns or plows walks for several people in his neighborhood.

When the Ingram household was contacted about their winning nomination, JayLynn Ingram says she had seen Miller making his rounds earlier that day.

“He was out at 7:30 this morning mowing everyone’s yard,” she says. “Mr. Miller is the most helpful neighbor.”

He also helps first-timers with home-improvement projects.

“Last summer, he helped us put in a back fence,” Mike Ingram says. “I had never done it before, and he has a lot of little tips.”

A former Navy electrician, Miller has also lit up the lives of many people beyond his neighborhood.

“I must have 25 or so yard lights around town I’ve put up for friends,” Miller says.

In the meantime, mowing lawns isn’t enough for Miller. Apparently, the summer chores of a whole neighborhood just don’t keep him busy.

When interviewed, he was in his back yard, fixing a broken power tool. The unit in question? A snow plow.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: Thess sidebars appeared with the story: Mike Miller helps his neighbors I nominate Mike Miller as a “Good Neighbor.” For years Mike has mowed four to seven yards a week. Most of the yards belong to elderly widows on our street. Often he will edge the sidewalks in front of several homes. He mows the neighborhood park and picks up trash there about once a week. Mike loans tools and homeimprovement expertise to neighbors. In May he helped one neighbor pour concrete and gave some extra fill dirt to another neighbor. Last summer he helped me install a backyard fence and taught me about fertilizers and grass seed. In the winter he blows the snow off the sidewalks of several homes. Mike Miller’s good spirit and consistent helpfulness make him a “Good Neighbor” in my mind. Please consider him for your award. - Submitted by Mike Ingram

Nominees These North Side residents were nominated for Good Neighbor of the Year: Dan Frigaard Mike and Laurie Whelan Bob Sewell Joe Boughter Vicki Parkinson Marge and Biz Pettoello Lottie Demaritz and David Demaritz Gar and Gerry Eaton Mike Miller Steve and Kay Roland LeBlanc Jean Davidson Charles and Dorothy Boothe Pat and Walt Dick Ilse and Bill Miller Howard Cappell Edwin and Henrietta Swirazynski Barry and Sharon Husfloens Boss and Ella Harvey Melvin West

Thess sidebars appeared with the story: Mike Miller helps his neighbors I nominate Mike Miller as a “Good Neighbor.” For years Mike has mowed four to seven yards a week. Most of the yards belong to elderly widows on our street. Often he will edge the sidewalks in front of several homes. He mows the neighborhood park and picks up trash there about once a week. Mike loans tools and homeimprovement expertise to neighbors. In May he helped one neighbor pour concrete and gave some extra fill dirt to another neighbor. Last summer he helped me install a backyard fence and taught me about fertilizers and grass seed. In the winter he blows the snow off the sidewalks of several homes. Mike Miller’s good spirit and consistent helpfulness make him a “Good Neighbor” in my mind. Please consider him for your award. - Submitted by Mike Ingram