Obituary of Thomas Edward Miller

Thomas E. Miller, beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother, died at home Friday, surrounded by his loving family. He was 64 years old. Tom was an award-winning videotape engineer who spent his career at ABC Television. He was awarded an Emmy for outstanding individual achievement in 1981 for the ABC News Special on the negotiations to free the American hostages in Iran. Then, in 1984, he was awarded two Emmys for his work on the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He was also a part of the remote team that covered the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo that same year. In 2001, he was honored with a Peabody Award as part of the news team that covered the September 11th terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. He was an active member of the Mountain Lakes community. Like his father before him, who was assistant chief of the Kearny Fire Department, Tom was a member of the Mountain Lakes Fire Department and served as the chief of the volunteer force. He coached his three children's soccer teams in Mountain Lakes and served on the league's board. Tom was born in Kearny, the oldest son of the late Edward and the late Mary Rose Miller in a family of six children. He was a 1970 graduate of Essex Catholic and, in recognition of his life achievements, was inducted into the Essex Catholic Hall of Fame. He graduated from William Paterson University in 1974 and began working at ABC television. He married his wife Maureen (Laugel) in 1976 and the family moved from Kearny to Mountain Lakes in 1987. After his retirement from ABC in 2009, he stayed active in the community. He enjoyed his work for Habitat for Humanity and later as a crossing guard and a courier for the Board of Education in town. One friend and colleague remembered Tom as a man who was respected for his "thoughtful measured response to every situation" whose "intelligence, warmth, humor and decency informed" his approach to the people he interacted with. Visiting is on Monday from 5 to 9 p.m. at Dangler Lewis and Carey Funeral Home, 312 West Main Street, Boonton. Mass is on Tuesday at 1 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Mountain Lakes, N.J. He is survived by his wife Maureen, his three children, Kristen (Paul) Pisano of Plantsville, Ct.; Carolyn, of Washington, D.C., and James Thomas, of Hoboken; two grandchildren, Sophia and Paul Pisano; his five siblings, Dr. Patrica Miller of Derry, NH, Kathleen (Edward) Smith of Sea Girt; Stephen Miller of Ortley Beach; Susan Miller of Branchville, and Martin (Diana) Miller of Kearny; and, many nieces and nephew. He was pre-deceased by his nephew, Justin Miller of Kearny. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Christ the King Preparatory School, 239 Woodside Avenue, Newark, N.J., 07104, attention Father Sandos; or, the New Jersey Firemen's Home, 565 Lathrop Avenue, Boonton, N.J., 07005