Valentine "Charlie" Miller

Rotterdam - Valentine ( Charlie ) Miller was born Nov 1, 1926 in Rotterdam, NY, to Eva (Miller) Siatkowski & George Miller. He passed away peacefully on January 14th, 2021 in Saratoga Springs, NY due to COVID-19 related complications, at the age of 94. Charlie came from a large family of 8 children, being raised on a farm off of Mariaville Road. Charlie was a very hard worker at an early age, delivering animal feed for Tanner Feed Store in Rotterdam while still in middle school. He earned the nickname of ”Chuck the Coal Man” , delivering coal thru his HS years. He graduated from Draper HS in 1945. Known for his mechanical engineering abilities and his mathematical mind, he was trained as a B-29 & C-47 airplane & jet engine mechanic when he joined the U.S. Army Air Force in 1945. He was deployed to China, where he maintained the U.S. Army military planes that were delivering supplies to support Chiang Kai-Shek’s Army. He was awarded a WWII Victory Medal. Upon his return, he served in the NY National Guard, and obtained his Master Certification in Aviation from California Aero Technical Institute in Glendale, CA. He then became a certified GE J-79 and T-58 GE Jet engine & airplane mechanic at GE Schenectady Flight Test Operations. Later, in 1963, he became a Quality Engineer for the GE Turbine Division. His nickname at GE was, "Everybody's Pal Val". The highlight of his career was volunteering and being sent to Japan on two separate occasions to supervise numerous Turbine Spin balance tests for the GE turbines that were being delivering to Hitachi. Charlie retired from GE in 1987. Given his love of flight, he continued to volunteer at the Empire State Aerosciences Museum well into his 80’s. He was also thrilled to be an honored guest of the Leather Stocking organization, to attend Veterans Day services in Washington, D.C. Charlie was happily married to the love of his life, the late Josephine (Pheny) Miller for 54 years, until her passing in December 2004. They had met in 1948, after his return from duty with the Army Air Force , as part of a group work-related commuting carpool. They married in 1950 and had a beautiful & bountiful life together. Charlie was known far and wide for his green thumb and gardening expertise. He was famous for his cubanelle Italian frying peppers, his greens and beans appetizers, and growing wonderful juicy tomatoes and gigantic Blue Hubbard squash. Charlie had a very big heart. He could often be found performing fix-it and house repair work for many of our widowed grand aunts in Rotterdam. He also religiously visited house-bound friends and relatives weekly. He especially loved the tight-knit community at Penn Heights Beach Club on Sacandaga Lake, where he had spent many summers with his family and friends since the mid 60’s. His handy work designing and building the masonry fire pit, and numerous picnic tables and Adirondack chairs for the picnic grove benefited the community as a whole. He particularly loved hosting a good cocktail party with his wife Josephine, with a particular affinity for martini’s. His daily multiple-mile walks along North Shore road were instrumental to his long life. Charlie will be forever missed by his younger brother, William (Bill) Siatkowski, daughter, Jodie Lynn DeMuth (Dennis) of Friday Harbor, WA, sons Michael Charles Miller (Donna) of Hadley, NY, and John Joseph Miller (Lori), of Northborough, MA, and his six grandchildren, Ryan Miller of Ballston Spa, NY, James DeMuth (Leah Reid) of Woburn, MA, Drew Miller, of Amsterdam, NY, Tara Miller of Austin, TX, Dan Miller of Monroe, NY, and Christian Miller of Austin, TX, and many nieces and nephews. Charlie is predeceased by his parents, and his four sisters, Eleanor Pudvah, Valentina LaMalfa, Dorothy Viscusi, and Mary DiNola, and two brothers, George Miller and Robert Siatkowski. Charlie was a wonderful influence and example for his children and grandchildren, combining his love of gardening, dedication to helping others in need, and his passing on of his deep mechanical engineering abilities, his love of all things outer space related, and his never-ending scientific curiosity. The family wishes to expressly thank the many people who have provided kind and compassionate care to Charlie during these past two years at the Home of the Good Shepard in Saratoga Springs, NY, and his lovely care givers that provided around the clock care when he lived at The Meadows at Glenwyck, as well as the supportive companionship provided by his many friends and relatives, and particularly his dear friends Ann Cimino and Mary Suits. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10am Saturday October 16th at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church 210 Princetown Rd., Rotterdam. Burial, with military honors, will follow at St. Cyril’s cemetery. The family kindly requests that masks be worn for both church and cemetery services. Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to:The Community Hospice Foundation,310 Manning Blvd., Albany, NY, 12208,(518) 724-0200,www.communityhospice.orgorThe Empire State Aerosciences Museum,250 Rudy Chase Drive,Glenville, NY 12302,518-377-2191,www.esam.org.