Franklin H. Miller

Franklin H. Miller, father, husband, brother, uncle, and papa, passed away on December 12, 2023, at the age of 84. Born in 1939 in Weymouth, Massachusetts, Frank’s life was one of dedication, innovation, and resilience.

A 1957 graduate of Weymouth High School, Frank’s journey was marked by both hardship and triumph. At the Hingham Shipyard, Frank’s father was a supervisor and built the ships that won WWII using asbestos. Losing his father to lung cancer at 12, Frank embraced the role of a breadwinner with a relentless spirit, balancing work at a farm and a gas station while attending high school. His determination saw him through Newman Preparatory School, Wentworth, and later Northeastern University, where he graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1967. His journey was a testament to his resilience and a beacon of hope for others facing similar challenges.

Frank’s professional life spanned 49 years and was equally remarkable. Starting his career at Draper Laboratory in 1960, he contributed to significant projects like the Polaris missile system, which President John F. Kennedy championed to defeat the Russians during the Cold War.

Frank worked for his country his entire life, serving in the Army reserves. Enrolling full-time to work on an Electrical Engineering degree at Northeastern University in 1962, he came back to Draper Lab for his co-op in 1963, where he was part of the team that built the inertial guidance system for what became Apollo 11, the first human landing on the moon. In 1967, with his BSEE from Northeastern University in hand, he started working as a Staff Engineer at Draper where he built gyro and accelerometer test equipment.

But Frank was always interested in geology, and after the Apollo program was scrapped, he was tapped by Professor Gene Simmons, a Geophysicist (and later Chief Scientist at the Lunar Science Institute, NASA Houston), of the MIT Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences to evaluate the physical properties of the Lunar rocks collected on the Apollo missions. Working hand-in-hand with Simmons, Frank was instrumental in providing earth heat flow instrumentation and measurements to prove the then unproven theory of continental drift

After 15 years as a Staff Engineer at the MIT EAPS, Frank returned to Draper in 1984, where he remained until his retirement in 2008. His expertise in gyro and accelerometer test equipment, his mentoring of future engineers, and his contributions to the guidance community were invaluable to his discipline and his country.

Beyond his professional achievements, Frank was a man of diverse interests, from Civil War and local history to geology and genealogy. He was fiercely proud that his great-grandfather George O. Miller signed up to be one of President Lincoln’s first 75,000 “volunteers” during the Civil War and that his ancestry traced back to John Miller who arrived in America from Holland at the turn of the 19th century. Frank favorite pastime in his retirement was spending time with his beloved grandson who shares his namesake. Frank joked that his great-great grandfather John, a cordwainer made the boots that allowed his father to build the boats that let him play with moon rocks for a living.

Frank leaves behind the love of his life, his beloved bride, Rosemary E. Miller (nee Carnell). They enjoyed trips to Maine together and celebrated their golden anniversary two years ago ; his son, Edward H. ‘Ted’ Miller and daughter-in-law, Kathryn, of Scituate; his adored grandson, John Miller; and his sister, Marilyn Boice. He was a cherished brother-in-law, uncle, and great-uncle to many.

Friends and family are invited to pay their respects during visiting hours on Monday from 4-7 PM at the McDonald Keohane Funeral Home, North Weymouth. A Celebration of Life Service will be held in the funeral home at 9:45 AM on Tuesday, followed by a Funeral Mass in Sacred Heart Church, Weymouth, at 10:30 AM. Frank will be laid to rest in Blue Hill Cemetery, Braintree.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Frank’s memory can be made to Wounded Warriors, honoring his life-long commitment to helping others who gave so much to their country.

Frank Miller’s legacy is not just in the projects he worked on or the challenges he overcame; it is in the lives he touched, the knowledge he shared, and the inspiration he provided. His story is a powerful reminder of the boundless possibilities of hard work, perseverance, and grit. As we say goodbye to a man who was so much to so many, we take comfort in knowing that his legacy will continue to inspire for generations to come.