George D. Miller

George D. Miller of Swanton, Ohio, passed away on Friday, May 20, 2022, at the age of 82.

George was born on September 11, 1939, in Whitehouse, Ohio, to George A. and Marie (Kuebbler) Miller. He attended school in the Toledo area and graduated from Macomber High School in 1957. On August 16, 1980, George married the love of his life, Joyce (Sturtevant) Miller. Together, they raised two boys, Todd and Ryan Sturt.

Throughout his life George worked at various Toledo-area companies. These included Spring Meadows Court Club and Superior Uniform Sales, from which he retired in 2003.

George was well-known as an outstanding athlete. He played high school basketball, and during his senior year in 1957, helped the Mac Men go to the state finals. But most of George’s sports achievements would come on a different kind of court.

In addition to numerous local, State and regional titles, between 1984 and 2011 George won 13 national 3-wall doubles handball titles and 1 Canadian title. In 2006, he received the Robert W. Kendler Award from the United States Handball Association for his organizational and promotional work. Eleven years later, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Ohio Handball Association.

In 1975, George was also instrumental in the planning and building of the then-largest 3-wall handball and racquetball complex in the United States, at the Lucas County Recreation Center. For more than 45 years, the courts have been the location of the National 3-Wall Handball Tournament held every Labor Day Weekend. This year the courts are being formally dedicated to George.

Always a private person who didn’t seek the limelight, George never sought to tell others of his generosity. He quietly contributed to many, many charities. His favorites were the Cherry Street Mission, the USHA development fund, Yosemite National Park, the National Wildlife Association, and Doctors Without Borders.

George was preceded in death by his parents, George and Marie, and his brother, Richard. He is survived by his wife, Joyce, his stepsons Todd (spouse Ellen) and Ryan (spouse Kristen), his four step grandsons Jack, Sam, Griffin and Carter, and his sister, JoAnn Orr.

A memorial will be held at Weigel Funeral Home in Swanton on Thursday, May 26th. Visiting is scheduled from 3:00 pm until 6:00 pm, with a simple service to be held afterward. A social hour will follow at Loma Linda restaurant on Airport Highway.

If you would like to honor George’s memory, please consider a donation to the Swanton Public Library or any of the charities listed above.