Some Thoughts on the Rich Life of Franklin Miller

The Rich Life of Franklin Miller

“When an old man dies, a library burns down.”

-African Proverb

When I heard of the death of Franklin Miller earlier this week, this African proverb came to mind.

So much knowledge, wisdom, and love were lost.

Franklin Miller lived a full life in ninety years. As I read his obituary and recalled his many careers, I was reminded of the profound influence a man can have over the course of nine decades of life.

As a child, I viewed Franklin Miller as part Matt Dillon/John Wayne. Any deputy who’d taken a bullet during a bank robbery was my kind of man.

As I grew up, I came to know him as the man who couldn’t speak without smiling. He was a walking example of the adage, “If you like people, people will like you.”

I was saddened to hear of his death this week. My condolences go out to his faithful wife of sixty-six years, Jeanette, and their four children, Sandra, Terri, Frank Miller, and Cyndi.

An additional part of my personal sadness was the realization that one of the final threads connecting the “Old Dry Creek” to the present-day 21st-century Dry Creek had snapped.

Franklin Miller probably knew more about the history of Dry Creek Community than anyone left on earth.

And this week, that library burned to the ground.

And we are all poorer for it.

There were so many stories, wisdom, and memories inside Franklin.

Not even an additional ninety years could have revealed the vast library he possessed.

The Miller family has always been a keeper of tales and stories on the history of eastern Beauregard Parish.

I’m glad Franklin, as the current patriarch, passed on much of the Miller and Welborn history and wisdom.

Two great epitaphs:

Mr. Frank, “Keep ‘er between the ditches.”

Mrs. Versie: “Bless your little heart.”

Franklin was the oldest son of two huge influences in my life: Mr. Frank and Mrs. Versie Welborn Miller.

His Dad, Mr. Frank Miller, was my mentor in all things Dry Creek, such as “Curt, that isn’t the Dry Creek way,” or “Do you remember the story I told you about . . .”

Franklin’s obituary aptly stated, “He carried the torch passed from his father and served as the rock of his family, a mentor to many, and a spiritual leader to all who knew him.”

The rock of his family, deeply rooted in the land we call Dry Creek.

That was Mr. Frank Miller.

However, Franklin’s mother also had a profound influence on all of her children.

I think Franklin’s smile and cheerful nature came from his mother, Mrs. Versie.

Mrs. Versie Miller was simply one of the sweetest ladies I’ve ever known.

She was from another pioneer family, the Welborns. We were related through the intermarriage of the pioneer Iles and Welborns.

Our people brought free-range sheep to the Pineywoods.

The sheep are all gone, but our Welborn, Miller, and Iles descendants are scattered all over SW Louisiana and beyond.

Finally, it’s about legacy and a good name.

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.

-Proverbs 22:1

Franklin Miller left a lasting legacy and a good name.