News you can trust. Thomas V. Mike Miller, a major force in Maryland politics for decades and the nations longest-serving state Senate president, has died, his family said. On behalf of our members, we offer our most sincere condolences and prayers to MikeMillers family, friends and loved ones, Senate Minority Leader Bryan W. Simonaire (R-Anne Arundel) said Friday night. "The First Lady and I extend our most heartfelt condolences to President Millers wife, Patti, their five children and 15 grandchildren, his Senate colleagues, and all who loved him. My full statement on the passing of Senate President Emeritus Mike Miller: pic.twitter.com/jKe8wRIQ14. Sometimes, his unrestrained comments landed him in trouble. Linda Lamone, Marylands long-serving elections director, announces retirement, I took actions while Trump did nothing: Hogan reflects on Jan. 6, the 2024 election and more, Vogel, Long first Gen Zers elected to Maryland General Assembly, Debt ceiling fight leads Van Hollen, Democrats to revive proposal to eliminate spending limit, Commentary: Montgomery County declared a Climate Emergency. A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at First Christian . 7 talking about this. Even though we clashed and passionately disagreed on issues, there was never a doubt that he was doing what he thought was best for the people of Maryland.. He retained the gavel, but appeared weak at times though sound of mind. Most recent obituaries in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Am I on the wrong side of history? "My heart and my mind remain strong, but my body has grown too weak to meet the demands of another legislative session," Miller wrote in a letter to Senate President Bill Ferguson. After chairing the Judiciary Proceedings Committee from 1983 to 1986, Mike became Senate President in 1987, a role he would maintain until the fall of 2019. Gov. He was, in every sense, a lion of the Senate. After then-Del. He was also fiercely loyal. From an early age, Mike learned what it meant to serve others when he began working in his grandfather's local market at the age of 10. Miller announced his resignation in late December, citing failing health as the cause for not completing his term. The Mike Miller Law firm continues to practice, under Melissa's leadership, with offices both in Clinton and Dunkirk, Maryland, upholding his legacy of grit, dedication, and service to the community it serves. All rights reserved. The First Lady and I extend our most heartfelt condolences to President Millers wife, Patti, their five children and 15 grandchildren, his Senate colleagues, and all who loved him.. Today, most importantly, the Millers loss a husband, father, uncle, cousin, grandfather, confidant. Whether its the Senator who he quietly consoled through family matters, the Senator who he mentored to compromise and pass legislation, or those who experienced the personal care of Mike to truly listen to their concerns. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Thomas Vincent (Mike) Miller Jr. please visit our Sympathy Store. He also faced scrutiny from federal prosecutors investigating contributions to a campaign fund he oversaw. The Miller family released the following statement shortly after 5 p.m.: Affleck's Batman and Miller's Flash first crossed paths in 2016's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice . It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Thomas A Miller (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), who passed away on June 1, 2022, at the age of 74, leaving to mourn family and friends. Mike Miller Law will be in touch soon. Mr. Miller clung to his grudges as if they were prized treasures. We've recently sent you an authentication link. In 1989, he told a Washington television reporter that Baltimore, Marylands largest city, was a ghetto and a war zone. Some suggested the comments ended his prospects of ever becoming governor. Sen. Larry Hogan called Miller "a dear lifelong friend. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. A student of history and deeply sentimental, Millers home library was filled with more than 5,000 volumes, sorted by subject and historical era. Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., the venerable Maryland lawmaker who was the longest-serving state Senate president in American history, died peacefully Friday at his home after battling prostate cancer, his family announced. Michael Raymond Bailey. } Feb 21, 2023. Michael A. Jackson (D), a former Prince Georges County sheriff and the man Miller wanted to succeed him. Larry Hogan deliver his annual State of the State address to a joint session of the legislature in Annapolis, Md. Even after his diagnosis of prostate cancer in July 2018 and a round of chemotherapy later that year, Miller continued to come to Annapolis and stand among the rostrum in the Senate chamber before going public with his condition in January 2019. Senate President Emeritus Mike Miller was larger than life. Maryland State Senator and Senate President Emeritus Thomas V. "Mike" Miller, Jr., passed away in January 2021 at the age of 78. He has stated that he intended to serve out the remainder of his term in the state Senate. as well as three brothers, five sisters and 15 grandchildren. He regularly presided over a strong Democratic majority in the chamber in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1. Hogan ordered state flags to fly at half-staff Friday in honor of Miller. He was 78. He once declared at a 2006 luncheon with fellow Democrats that they would put Republicans in the ground in the upcoming election. Thomas A Miller Obituary. Fifty percent of the kids that start out in school dont graduate. Some families choose to hold a visitation before the service, while others may prefer a more low-key or private family . (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Millers Senate seat was just filled Wednesday, the first day of the General Assembly session, by former Del. Thomas V. Mike Miller, a major force in Maryland politics for decades and the nation's longest-serving state Senate president, has died, his family said. He was, in every sense, a lion of the Senate," Hogan said. Mr. Miller cited the incident as his sole political regret. He wanted to spend money that we didnt have to spend. He was, in every sense, a lion of the Senate, Hogan said. Mike then went on to start his own legal practice, opening his first office in Clinton, MD, just down the road from his grandfathers store. A shrewd tactician, Mr. Miller controlled the Senate under six governors and endured as opponents derided him as an autocrat, as demographics in his home base of Prince Georges County shifted, and as Marylands political culture drifted left. ", Maryland has lost one of its most revered leaders, and I have lost a dear lifelong friend. So looking at things from a statewide perspective, we really have to do things to help.. He announced his prostate cancer diagnosis on the Senate floor in early 2019. First published on January 15, 2021 / 11:05 PM. He concluded this extraordinary period of service as Senate President Emeritus," Ferguson said. He didnt live in a world where he would substitute his core beliefs for what he saw as the larger consensus, said Todd Eberly, a St. Marys College of Maryland political scientist. So, Senator Miller demonstrating what he had preached so often stepped down to make sure his district could have the best representation possible. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We proudly serve the African-American community families, neighborhoods, businesses, people of faith and more in the DMV. Mike passed away in 2021, and is survived by his wife, five children, and 15 grandchildren. Working for Mike was like working in the Mafia you go out feet first, said Gerard Evans, a lobbyist and longtime friend. As the longest-serving state senate leader in Maryland and US history, my friend Mike Miller had an amazing ability to get things done, Clinton said in a tweet on Friday night. He sees me and puts both hands on my lapels and backed me against the wall, Lee once told The Post. Three years later, Mr. Miller hosted a swanky fundraiser in Baltimore, an event that many regarded as his statewide coming-out party. "He's survived by his wife, Patti, son, Tommy, daughters, Amanda, Michelle, Melissa and Melanie, sisters, Susan, Cynthia, Melinda, Nancy and Kim, brothers, Jonathan, David and Mark, and his 15 grandchildren, and was predeceased by his sister Judith." But even his most brash comments didnt seem to hurt him significantly on Election Day or during the annual votes by the Senates 47 members at the start of each legislative session in January to keep him at the helm of the chamber for 32 years. February 14, 1973 - September 9, 2022 Michael "Mike" Miller passed away unexpectedly in a car accident at the age of 49. Serving the people of our great state was Mike Millers lifes work, and he did so with unrelenting passion and courage for a remarkable 50 years. Miller's, a general store that Mr. Miller's father eventually took over. There are thousands of former Senators, Delegates, staffers, and constituents in the 27th District that he has impacted for the better, and who each have their own Mike Miller story. He was 78. The Senate he presided over legalized gay marriage, ended the death penalty, introduced casino gamblingwhich greatly increased public school funding, cleaned up the Chesapeake Bay, and accomplished countless other legislative victories. He was as kind and generous as he was powerful: a combination that leads to a once-in-a-generation leader and statesman who we can all emulate. Thomas Miller Mortuary Monday, May 1, 2023, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm. The late Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D), who spent 33 years leading the chamber. More by William J. Ford, Your email address will not be published. Miller died Friday afternoon at the age of 78. I was fortunate to have received his counsel and advice when I became Speaker. Show your love for Southern Maryland by powering authoritative, in-depth reporting about your community, and keeping access free for neighbors who need it. If he had your back, you never had to look over your shoulder. Ever the pragmatist, he had reached out months before to four newly elected senators, progressives who had defeated his more moderate lieutenants in the 2018 Democratic primary. GROUNDED IN EXPERIENCE AND COMMUNITY SERVICE. I mean, its crack. Whether its the senator who he quietly consoled through family matters, the senator who he mentored to compromise and pass legislation, or those who experienced the personal care of Mike to truly listen to their concerns.. His parents politics spanned the Democratic spectrum, with his father a conservative and his mother a New Dealer who encouraged her son to go to law school. He was 78. Mr. Millers early years in the state legislature and his reign as a boss of the Prince Georges Democratic organization coincided with the countys transition from majority White to majority Black. Mike graduated from the University of Maryland in 1964 with a bachelors degree in Business Administration and received a law degree from the University of Maryland Law School in 1967. He won his first election to the House of Delegates in 1970 and moved to the Senate four years later. Besides a picture of Miller in the Senate chamber and his name on the office building, his Senate colleagues created the title of President Emeritus and voted to bestow it upon Miller. I [lost] a teammate and mentor who trusted me to succeed him, he tweeted. Thomas Vincent Miller Jr. (December 3, 1942 January 15, 2021), known as Mike Miller, was an American politician from Maryland. In his illustrious 33-year tenure as Senate President, Mike masterfully facilitated compromise and championed a progressive agenda for the State of Maryland. See also California Statewide Indexes at the FamilySearch Library. He got his introduction to politics in 1962 as a driver for Frank Small Jr., a Republican gubernatorial candidate who lived next door to the Millers. Privacy Policy and