Victor Frederick Miller

Feb. 26, 1920 – Jan. 4, 2003

Victor Frederick Miller, 82, of Granger, Ind., passed away following an extended illness at 6:16 EST on Saturday, Jan. 4, in Central Florida Regional Hospital in Orlando, Fla. Vic was born Feb. 26, 1920, in Crandon, Wis., the son of Isaac Frank and Lillie Angeline Miller. The family moved to South Bend, Ind., in 1922, where his father Isaac built custom homes in the area for many years.

After graduating from South Bend Central High School in 1938, Vic met his future bride, Jane Helen Wozniak at a dance at the Avalon Ball Room on July 7, 1940. Vic and Jan were married for 54 years at the time of Jane’s death on June 24, 2001. 

From 1938 to 1943, Vic worked at Bendix in South Bend in the blue print department. He studied business at the South Bend College of Commerce and engineering at the University of Notre Dame.

During World War II, Vic was called to service on July 6, 1943, and trained as a light machine gunner, assigned to Company G, 66th Infantry, 71st Division. He served in the European Theater of Operations under the command of General Patton in Rhineland, Central Europe, and was awarded the American Theater Ribbon with two bronze stars before being honorably discharged on April 29, 1946.

After returning from war, Vic married Jane on Sept. 29, 1946, and returned to Bendix as a liaison engineer from 1946-1953. In 1953 Vic founded Bertrand Products, Inc., a successful precision machining supplier for the aerospace industry, which still thrives today. Vic is a lifetime member of River Park Methodist Church and a member of several honorable organizations including the South Bend Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite, and Shriners Club. He was awarded the Sertoma Award, which recognizes service to mankind, after organizing the South Bend Air Show to benefit the Multiple Sclerosis  Society.

Vic is also one of the founding members and organizers of the renowned Military Honor Park at the South Bend Regional Airport to preserve and memorialize all veterans of U.S. wars.

Survivors include three daughters, Judith A. Attie of Grosse Point Farms, Mich., Carolyn S. (Dr. William) Thatcher of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Susan J. Miller of Orlando, Fla.; two sons, Victor F. (Whitney) Miller Jr. of Vancouver, Wash., and Patrick J. (Suzanne) Miller of Bainbridge Island, Wash. He is survived by nine grandchildren, Dr. Kahlil Attie of Petosky, Mich., Sara Attie of Boston, Mass., David and Jane Thatcher of Salt Lake City, Utah, Melinda S. (Andrew) Poore of Portland, Maine, Victor F. Miller III, Alex J. Miller and Elisa A. Miller of Port Orange, Fla., and Patrick J. Miller Jr. of Bainbridge Island. He is survived by two great-grandchildren, Katharine Elizabeth and Anna Jane Poore of Portland, Maine; his sister, Carol Braden (Jim) of South Bend, Ind.; and by dear friends, Del and Lou Zobrosky of Granger, Ind.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in the River Park Methodist Church, 920 S. 23rd St., South Bend. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Welsheimer Funeral Home North, 17033 Cleveland Road, where a Masonic memorial service will be conducted at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the funeral home. Burial at St. Joseph Valley Memorial Park, Granger, Ind.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society or to the Military Honor Park of South Bend.

Sources: Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com and FindAGrave.com

08/06/2025 EJS

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67040648/victor_franklin-miller