Obituary of Barry Miller

Barry Wayne Miller was born in 1952 at Camp Polk Army base in Louisiana to Beverly Kaplan Miller and Harry Miller. Barry grew up in Dorchester Boston, Massachusetts, and was the eldest of four children. Barry was 14 when his father died and he was tasked with being the man of the house and a role model for his three younger siblings, Linda, Kenny and Donna. Barry graduated from the oldest and one of the most prestigious schools in America, Boston Latin School, and studied two years at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute before graduating with high honors from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Barry started his career in finance and management at Anheuser Busch, while completing his MBA at MIT Sloan School of Management and starting a family. Two of his three daughters – Erika and Rachel – were born in Boston before he moved his family to St. Louis, Missouri, where his youngest daughter Julie was born. The family then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where Barry achieved great success as a leader in business and eventually CEO of International Label Company, where he worked for over 12 years. He continued his success in California and Oregon as a General Manager and President, having mastered his talent as a businessman and leader. Perhaps most rewarding to him was in the last few years of his life, when he finally was able to do what he was always passionate about – teaching. He loved his role as a professor at the University of Oregon, where he helped students learn from his practical experience and technical knowledge of the world of finance. His three daughters were Barry’s pride and joy, and his many grandchildren kept him active and young throughout his later years. Barry loved nature and hiking, exercising and playing basketball, golfing, skiing and riding motorcycles. He also met his other great love, Cynthia, who has been by his side since they met in 2007. Together they loved hiking, camping, watching the Big Bang Theory, socializing with their neighbors, spending time with Cynthia’s son Miguel, and taking care of their two beautiful dogs, Aiko and Sasha. Barry was also very involved in the Eugene community; he was on the Lane County Economic Committee, the Board of Directors at SELCO Community Credit Union, and the advisory board for Good Samaritan Society. He was also a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, a Eugene Rotary Club member, and a mentor at Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Barry passed away on December 4, 2019, at the age of 67, in Eugene after a battle with an aggressive form of cancer. He is survived by his wife Cynthia, his children Erika (son-in-law Brad), Rachel (son-in-law Abe) and Julie (son-in-law Andrés), his stepson Miguel, and stepdaughter Marianne. He is also survived by his ten grandchildren, Malka, Rivka, Adina, Yaacov, Avi, Leora, Zev, Max, Samuel, and Carmen and four step grandchildren, Kiyara, Kimani, Kaitiaki, and Koda. Services will be held Friday, December 6, 2019 at 11am at Ahavas Torah Temple at 2935 Onyx Street, Eugene Oregon 97403, followed by a burial at noon at Rest-Haven, 3900 Willamette Street, Eugene Oregon 97405. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Ahavas Torah Temple.