Reverend Arnold J. Miller Jr., 59, Parochial Vicar at St. George's, Post Falls; St. Joseph's, Spirit Lake; and St. Stanislaus, Rathdrum, died unexpectedly Nov. 14, 2016. He was born May 24, 1957, in Denver, Colorado to Arnold J. and Betty Lou (Ebbs) Miller. From early on he loved everything science, animals and nature. He had snakes, frogs, chameleons, toads and rats growing up. He earned a degree in microbiology from Colorado State University. He worked at many fish hatcheries including one for Idaho Fish and Game.
He entered Mount Angel Seminary in Saint Benedict, Oregon in 1993. Before entering the seminary, he began discerning a vocation following a Cursillo he made in the early 1990s, he said in a 2000 story in the Idaho Catholic Register. "When I started sharing with my Fourth Day group and evaluating my life as a Christian in front of these other men who were married and had families, it became clear that my spiritual life had a different direction than theirs," he said. Then someone gave him a pamphlet about a seminary program, and every time he read the curriculum that was offered, it would evoke a strong response deep in his heart. He said he realized the possibility of priesthood was something he needed to face. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Boise on June 8, 2000, by Bishop Michael P. Driscoll in St. John Cathedral.
Besides serving at Post Falls, Father Miller was parochial vicar at St. Mary's, Caldwell; Sacred Heart, Parma; St. Jerome's, Jerome; Holy Rosary, Idaho Falls; St. Mary's, Boise; and Our Lady of the Valley, Caldwell. He was also administrator and pastor at Mary Immaculate, Saint Anthony; St. Patrick's, Rexburg; Good Shepherd, Driggs; and Chapel of the Pines, Island Park.
In addition to his parish assignments, Father Miller was English-language spiritual director for Cursillo, 2000-02. He also served in various spiritual roles with the Knights of Columbus, Idaho Council of Catholic Women and other lay groups.
He is survived by his father, Arnold, and three sisters, Diana Miller, Debra Miller and Dana Holinka all of Colorado. He was preceded in death by his mother.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Saturday, Nov. 19th at St. Stanislaus Church, 812 McCartney St., Rathdrum. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 AM, Monday, Nov. 21st at Our Lady of the Valley Church, 1122 West Linden St., Caldwell. Committal services will follow at 2:00 PM in the priest section of Morris Hill Cemetery, Boise. Remembrances may be left for the family online at www.AccentFuneral.com. Services are under the direction of Accent Funeral Home, Meridian.



Published in Idaho Statesman on Nov. 18, 2016