UPDATE: Funeral and visitation arrangements are set for longtime Marshall County judge-executive Mike Miller, who died Monday morning.
Visitation will be held at Marshall County High School's Kenneth M. Shadowen Performing Arts Center from 2-8 p.m. Thursday, December 18. Funeral services begin at the performing arts center the following day, December 19, at 1 p.m. Interment will follow at Pace Cemetery.
Miller, 70, died shortly after 11 a.m. Monday morning at Marshall County Hospital due to respiratory failure.
Miller, a Democrat, was the longest serving active county judge in Kentucky, taking office in 1974. He was just elected in November to an 11th term in the post.
Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear released the following statement in response to Miller's death:
"Judge Mike Miller’s passing is a terrible loss not only for his family and friends, but also for Marshall County. I can’t think of anyone more devoted to his work and to the improvement of his community than Mike. Very few public officials can say they served in the same position for decades, but Mike easily earned the trust and respect of his peers, who returned him to office again and again. Jane and I are saddened by his death, and we are keeping his wife, Chyrill, sons John Keith and Shawn, and grandchildren in our thoughts and prayers."
Beshear now has 30 days to appoint a new judge-executive. The Marshall County Fiscal Court can elect one of its members as a temporary judge-executive until Beshear makes his appointment. The person that Beshear appoints will serve until the next general election, according to Beshear's communications director, Kerri Richardson.
Calloway County judge-executive Larry Elkins served with Miller on the boards of the Purchase Area Development District and West Kentucky Allied Services.
"Those of us in neighboring counties depended on him at times to give us counsel on issues that we may not have experienced before," Elkins said. "He was always very generous with his time and had a way about him of breaking tension if you were in a tense situation. He was full of funny stories and jokes and experiences. He was just very entertaining and a person that people enjoyed being around."
Kentucky U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican, released a statement expressing his sadness at Miller's passing, saying the two had worked together despite their political differences.
"Mike was a dedicated public servant who spent 40 years of his life serving the community he loved as county judge-executive," Paul said.
Kentucky Treasurer Todd Hollenbach said Miller was mentored by his father - also a county judge - and in turn helped Hollenbach when he entered public service.
"Judge Miller was a model of public service, witnessed by the decades of work for and dediction to the people of Marshall County," Hollenbach said in a statement. "But his influence was felt far beyond the lake region of western Kentucky and we will all miss his wit, wisdom and friendship."
Benton Mayor Steve Cary said he often worked closely with Miller.
"I've been mayor for eight years and from time to time I have to call Mike and say, 'Hey, we've got a project that we need to do. We need help with this.' He never told me no," Cary said. "He always tried to do everything he could to help the city of Benton and the whole county of Marshall County and I don't know if anybody could do the job he has done and has the contacts that he has got."
