Dean Miller
August 28, 1953 - September 18, 1996

 

 

Fishery Officer Dean Miller passed away, Wednesday September 18, 1996 while on Swiftwater Training on a river in the Terrace/Kitimat area.  He had apparently just gone through some rapids on the river, but did not return to shore.  Colleagues attempted CPR for an hour prior to the ambulance arriving at the remote site, but Dean was pronounced dead on arrival at Kitimat Hospital.  Dean had died of cardiac arrest.

Dean left behind his wife Sharon and three sons Jeff, Jamie and Steven (16, 14, and 12 years at the time of Dean’s death).

His postings as a Fishery Officer included Campbell River, Prince Rupert, the Queen Charlotte Islands, Tofino, and Rivers Inlet.

At the time of Dean’s passing he was Chief of Conservation and Protection of the North Coast.

Dean was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and did his Renewal Resource training at the Kelsey Institute Vocational Training Facility there.  A friend of Dean’s described him as “an organizer and a planner all his life.  Wherever he became involved be it in the community, work, or family he gave 110%.   Dean was the man who liked the colour green, the smell of kelp at low-tide, thunderstorms, trains, burnt popcorn, Andy Williams, and The Who (even Queen was played on occasion).  Most of all Dean liked walks with his family, sitting and tolking with good friends and family, playing board games with his sons, and drives in the car, or what he fondly referred to as “the semi” (his truck). “

“This man with Huge feet and a strong spirit”

Dean’s friend and fellow Fishery Officer, Dave Looy described Dean’s dedication to the resource as follows: “He was very much into the outdoors and one of the staunchest supporters of the environment and the resource.  He didn’t fish, but believed in protecting the resources for others.  That’s why he did what he did.”

On September 28, 1997 the Society of Pacific Region Fishery Officers succeeded in having his name honoured and inscribed on Police and Peace Officer Memorial in Ottawa…Sharon and Dean’s three sons were flown out to Ottawa for this event.

Special thanks to Fishery Officer Willi Jansen who provided this tribute to Dean.