FRANK A. MILLER (d. 1956)

Frank A. Miller, Former Malting Executive, Dies (photo)
Messages received Monday advised of the death in Beverly Hills,
Calif., Sunday of Frank A. Miller, 94, former vice president and
general manager of the Rahr Malting Co. and one of the leaders in
the movement that led to the city system of schools in Manitowoc.
Prior to his retirement from the Rahr firm in 1939 he founded the
Miller Malting Co. in Los Angeles, which he headed. On leaving the
Rahr company he moved west to Los Angeles. Since disposing of the
malting firm in the west several years ago he became interested in
other projects in the west, which were successful. The past three
years he had lived in retirement.
The body will be entomed at Los Angeles until a later date and
burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery here, with funeral arrangements
being handled by the Pfeffer Funeral Home.
Mr. Miller, was born in the town of Two Rivers in 1861 and his
parents moved to Manitwooc in 1870. On completing high school here
he was employed by the Wagner Hardware Co. and later with the O.
Torrison Co. In 1885 he recived a government appointment to take
charge of an accounting job in Minnesota and while there married
Miss Ida J. Bleser.
Conducted School
A year later he was offered complete charge of the accounting
department of a Racine shoe factory, employing 700 workers.
Evenings he conducted a commercial school. Returning to Manitowoc
in 1891, he became office manager of the Wm. Rahr Sons Co. and saw
the company expand and in 1918 on reorganizatin of the company into
the Cereal Products Co. he became general manager.
In 1932 the firm name was changed to the Rahr Malting Co. He became
a well known authority on malting and compiled numerous pamphlets
and booklets on the subject. In 1933 he was named vice president
and a director of the United States Malsters Assn., composed of
leading malsters all over the nation.
Mr. Miller, returning here from Racine, which had a central school
system, became an active worker in the move to consolidate the four
school districts in the city into one central system. Twice the
movement failed at the polls. The third time the consolidation
carried. At the time he was a member of the board of the North side
district and received the highest number of votes when citizens
chose the first Board of Education in Manitowoc. He was named the
first president of the board. He served ten years on the board
before retiring.
Founded Own Company
While still connected with the Rahr Malting Co. he founded the Miller
Malting Co. in Los Angeles, with his son, the late Earl F. Miller, as
general manager. A plant was erected, first of its kind in southern
California. In 1939, Mr. Miller resigned his affiliations with the
Rahr Malting Co.
Later he and Mrs. Miller moved west to locate in Beverly Hills.
Following the death of his son he disposed of the Miller Malting Co.
He then engaged in real estate.
Mrs. Miller died in California a few years ago and is buried in
Manitowoc.
Only immediate survivor is a daughter, Agnes, wife of the late Carl
Ruenzel and now married to Stephen Chase. They reside in Beverly Hills.
Manitowoc Herald Times, Monday, February 20, 1956 P.2
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[d. 02-19-1956 at Los Angeles, CA/age 93 yrs.]