Frederick Jacob Miller Jr.

Frederick Jacob Miller Jr., 88, CPA, quietly slipped into heaven June 18, 2017. He had been in assisted living in Southlake, Texas for more than two years.

Fred was born July 23, 1928, in Wheeling, West Virginia, the son of Fred and Rose Miller. The family soon moved to Key West, FL, where his parents owned & operated Key West Provision on Front Street.

He graduated from Key West High School in 1946, where he received the highest score in the state of Florida on his college entrance exam. In 1950 he married his high school sweetheart, Betty Jean Spear in Laurel, Miss. They met while attending Key West High School.

He graduated from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, OH, in 1951 with an accounting degree. His classmates included Coretta Scott King and Rod Serling. He worked in New York City, Cleveland and Chicago as part of Antioch's work/study program.

He served in the U.S. Army from '52-'54, serving in the Army Audit Agency in Atlanta, Ga. He was honorably discharged as a Master Sergeant. He soon obtained his first commercial accounting job with Humble Oil in Houston, TX. He passed the Certified Public Accountant exam on his first sitting in 1957.

Fred was a Certified Internal Auditor for ExxonMobil for 34 years, during which time he served in numerous executive positions, including Assistant Controller for Esso International in New York; General Auditor for Esso Europe in London; Assistant General Auditor for Exxon Corp. in New York; General Auditor for Esso Inter-America; and Chief Internal Auditor for China Light & Power in Hong Kong.

He was a longtime member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (he served as president of the Houston and Miami chapters) and the American Institute of CPAs.

After his retirement from Exxon in 1989, Fred & Betty (his wife of 66 years) built a home on one of the highest points of land in Big Canoe, Ga. For 23 years he was actively involved in the Coast Guard Auxiliary where he taught maritime classes. He also served as flotilla commander of the Lake Lanier Flotilla. He was a loyal member and treasurer of the Jasper Rotary Club for almost two decades. He and Betty also were members of the Big Canoe Chapel, where he was a trustee and chairman of the Benevolence Committee. He also served as president of the Big Canoe Homeowners Association.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Rose Miller of Key West, Fla; and his only sibling, Dr. Robert A. Miller of Naples, Fla.

Survivors include his wife, Betty Spear Miller of Southlake; daughters Susan E. Scott of Colleyville & Sarah E. Miller of Plano; sons Fred J. III of Montana and John D. of Conn.; 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Fred enjoyed his travels around the world to countless foreign countries, always eager to sample exotic cuisines. He will be long remembered for his love of friends and family, his generous spirit, and his impeccable integrity.