Ronald Lee Miller, born in Des Moines, IA, April 15, 1939, died in Hayward, Wisconsin, March 8, 2025.

Graduate of North High in Des Moines and graduate of the American Institute of Business in Des Moines. He married Vonis “Anne” (Harmon) Miller on March 20, 1960.

From humble beginnings, he accomplished great things. After school was done, he held several jobs including selling meat for the Wilson Company and being an insurance agent for State Farm. His big break came when he took a job as a salesman for Weiser Locks. This led to a move to Chicago for the family for a brief time. It was during this time, at one of the many, easily in the hundreds, hardware shows he attended that he was noticed by Mr. Jack Shaw of Wright Products who offered him a job with Wright Products as a salesman. This move changed everything for him and the family. He worked his way up through the organization, and upon Mr. Shaw’s retirement, he was named President of Wright Products in 1977. The team he inherited, and additional hires to complete the team, were all very instrumental in the success and massive growth of Wright. In the early nineties, he and his partner, Mr. Jim Maki, were able to purchase the company. Unfortunately, Mr. Maki passed away in 1993, shortly before the purchase was completed. To show how much the company had grown from when he started to when he sold the company in 1996, Wright controlled 95% of all storm and screen door hardware sold in the United States and employed 600 people.

His biggest joy was his family and there was not much he would not do for them to make their lives better. He coached sports as Mark and Kim were growing up, even though he never played them. He would take the time from his busy schedule if other parents did not volunteer.

The grandkids began arriving in 1989 and quickly became his priority. Be it fishing, golfing, family vacations, or just sitting on the deck talking, each moment with the grandkids was a memory in the making. He was a “grand” storyteller, often leaving the kids wondering, “is that really true”? He had an immense impact on their lives and will be greatly missed by all of them.

Both he and Anne loved Lake of the Woods and there were many years when he visited New Moon Lodge 6 times during the fishing season. He first visited New Moon in the early ‘80’s and never stayed anywhere else. He loved to fish, especially for Walleye and Muskies, and was a member of the 50-inch club. Nothing gave him greater joy than fishing with the grandkids and being out fished by them.

In his heyday, he loved a good Ashton cigar and an Absolut Gimlet. He especially enjoyed them while he was grilling. Other than the famous “Gimlet Chicken” incident, he could hold his own with anybody.

He is survived by his son Mark (Barb), their two children Joseph (Jessica) and daughter Madelyn. His daughter Kim (Mark), their two children Nicholas (Samantha) with their children Arden and Marlow, and daughter Courtney. He is also survived by his sister Karen Scheldroup (Richard), sister-in-law Jolene (David) Miller and sister-in-law Mary (Dan) Johnson.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Anne, mother Frances and father Josephus Miller, brother David Miller, in laws Paris and Mildred Harmon, and sister-in-law Susan Fox.

Though the last few years were certainly not what he would have wanted, he had a fantastic life, well lived. Raise a glass, light a cigar, and wet a line in his memory.

A celebration of life will be held for both Ronald and Anne on Saturday, April 12th, from 12:00 noon until 3:00 P.M. at Trailways on 27, just south of Hayward, WI.

Last Update: Mar 20, 2025 8:41 am CDT