Michael F. Miller

Michael F. Miller, beloved husband and the best dad of all time, died on July 13, 2025, surrounded by the love of his wife, daughter, and granddog.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 11 am, with a time of gathering from 9:00-10:45 am, at St. Michael Catholic Church, 16400 Duluth Avenue SE, Prior Lake, MN. Father Tom Walker will preside. Mike will be laid to rest St. Michael Catholic Cemetery with military honors provided by the Prior Lake VFW Honor Guard.

Mike was born in 1945 in Litchfield, MN to Earl and Marie (Bodeman) Miller, the baby of the family. He spent the first 12 years of his life on the family farm in Darwin, MN, before moving to Minneapolis in the late 1950’s.

Mike graduated from DeLaSalle High School in 1963 and enlisted in the Army later that year. Mike served his country for three years before enrolling in the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where he met his future wife, Marilyn McKenzie.

Mike and Marilyn lived in Duluth, Richfield, and Bloomington before moving to Prior Lake in 1977. They adopted their daughter Melissa on September 30, 1981, which all three of them believed was the luckiest day of their lives.

Mike worked as a Union cement mason for nearly 40 years before retiring in 2007. He made many close friends through his job. He worked long hours in the summer heat, but always had time for his Missy, his biggest fan. They loved to play catch, hit softballs, ride bikes, and go to Valleyfair.

Mike loved playing (and winning) cards. He had quite the sweet tooth and never said no to candy, but what he really loved was ice cream. His favorite flavor was Butter Brickle. He also loved being outdoors and especially loved fishing. Mike and Marilyn purchased their cabin on 10th Crow Wing Lake in 2005, and Mike spent hours on his fishing boat catching sunnies, crappies, and the occasional walleye.

Mike and Marilyn also loved to travel. In their younger years they especially loved Las Vegas, and often took their moms, who stayed out later than they did. Once they had their daughter, the three of them took many road trips around the country. Some favorite vacations included Florida and the Magic Kingdom, Fort Myers Beach, and St. Augustine, a trip out west to many national parks, and Washington, DC. Mike and Marilyn made it to 49 states and had been planning a trip to Alaska for their 50th wedding anniversary, which would have been August 30th of this year.

Mike is survived by and forever missed by his girls, his wife Marilyn and daughter Melissa, and Melissa’s dog Columbo. He is also survived by a sister Judy, and many in-laws: John Dvorak, Mike and Barb Fiola, Neil and Kathy McKenzie, David and Gail Lind, Dan McKenzie, Deb McKenzie, and Pete and Carol McKenzie, as well as many nieces, great-nieces, nephews, and great-nephews. He will also be missed by his many friends, neighbors, and fishing buddies.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents Earl and Marie, his sister Audrey Dvorak, his brother Tom Miller, his sister-in-law Linda McKenzie, and his niece Anne Marie Moore. He was also preceded in death by his very good dogs, Rex and Marbles.

The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the medical staff at the University of Minnesota hospital, and to Grace Hospice, for treating Mike with the utmost care and respect.