David Hewitt Miller, Phd

MILLER, DAVID HEWITT, PhD died October 20, 2006 at the age of 88 at St. Camillus Health Center, Milwaukee, WI. Preceded in death by his beloved wife Enid and sons Steven and Stanley. Brother of Martha Jean Thiras of California, uncle of Stephanie (Thomas) Bamford and Deborah Thiras. Dearest friend of Judy and Richard Toth of Fox Point, WI and Carol and Edward Thornton of Iron Mountain, MI. Also survived by other relatives and friends. David was born in Russell Kansas in 1918. He received his Bachelor of Arts from UCLA in 1939. During World War II, he served as Junior Meteorologist and Assistant Meteorologist with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco and Salt Lake City District Offices. He was Senior Instructor of Meteorology and Geography at the Air Transport Command School in Kasas City, Missouri, and Senior Forecaster of the Western Division of Transcontinental & Western Air, Inc. in California. In 1944, David received his Master of Arts degree from UCLA. In 1945, he worked as Assistant Chief at the Processing and Analysis Unit of the Cooperative Snow Investigations for the Corps of Engineers and Weather Bureau; and as Assistant Director of Snow Investigations, also with the Corps of Engineers. The results of thses snow investigations were used in the design of flood-control structures and the spillways of all types of dams, to improve flood warning systems and to control other water resources. In 1953, he earned his PhD from the University of California-Berkeley. David published extensively on a wide variety of topics within the geosciences and was an expert on Snow. He was called the ''scientist's scientist'' by his colleagues. He taught seminars and courses in hydrology, physical geography, climatology and meteorology at the University of Georgia, the University of California, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Hawaii, and three times at the University of Newcastle, Australia. His full time academic career began in 1964 with an appointment as Professor of Geography at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The Department of Geography, now the Department of Geosciences are where his papers are archived. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 1988. David received numerous honorary awards including membership in Phi Beta Kappa and SignaXI, fellowships from the National Science Foundation, a National Academy of Sciences exchange scientist award, two Fulbright fellowships and an honorary degree from the University of Newcastle, Australia. A memorial service will be held at ST. MARK'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 2618 N. Hackett, Milwaukee on Saturday, November 18th at 4pm. Visitation will also be at the Church from 3pm-5pm. In lieu of flowers please make a donation in David's name to your favorite charity. MAX A. SASS & SONS FUNERAL DIRECTORS 414-645-4992