Ryan "Pye" Miller

***Due to the current state of the Covid-19 pandemic, the family request that anyone attending please respect current recommended social distancing practices of 6 feet and mask. Anyone with concerns or feeling ill please leave the family your favorite memory of Ryan on this webpage for the family to achieve and take a moment during the day to remember Ryan. There is no doubt that Ryan Miller lived his life to the fullest. Known to squeeze in every drop of energy into each day, he lived his life selflessly serving others. He held a fierce love for his wife and family and enjoyed spending time with them. Gone too soon, Ryan’s zest for life and his remarkable compassion for others will be his greatest legacy. Ryan’s story begins in the year 1976. Nadia Comaneci was a household name in the Montreal Olympics earning three gold medals in gymnastics, NASA unveiled the first space shuttle, the Enterprise, and Jimmy Carter was elected President defeating Gerald R. Ford. During a promising time in our nation’s history, Timothy and Deborah (Frye) Miller welcomed home their newborn baby boy, Ryan, on June 4th in Kalamazoo, Michigan. His birth brought them great joy. Growing up in Vicksburg, Ryan lived an exceptional childhood of the times. He enjoyed his fair share of mischief and boyhood wonder as a kid. He spent much of his time enjoying the outdoors, riding three wheelers, and engineering modifications to improve nearly every project. His parents instilled in him a solid foundation of hope and love. A talented athlete and musician, Ryan played soccer and golf in high school as well as the tuba in The Big Red Machine Marching Band. Anything he set his mind to accomplishing, he was sure to succeed! Graduating with the Class of 1994 from Vicksburg High School, he set his sights on an Associate’s Degree from Ferris State University. He loved his years as a Bulldog and was proud to complete his education before entering the heating and cooling industry as a pipefitter. Ryan had a real knack for this work and was an active member of the UA Local 357 Plumbers/Pipefitters & HVAC-R. He was content with the completion of any job as well as enjoyed the camaraderie of his fellow co-workers. The attacks on the nation on September 11, 2001 left a lasting impression on Ryan. The devastation and immense loss tugged at the genuineness of his love of all people. Called to serve his country, he left for New York to assist with the recovery efforts. Discouraged when he was turned away as a volunteer, Ryan decided to return and enlist with the United States Army. He was a strong soldier and served his first tour in Iraq in 2002 later followed by two other tours of duty in Operation Enduring Freedom. Returning home, he reunited with his high school sweetheart, Kristine Spiegelberg. They had a very special bond and although they had gone their separate ways after graduation, they were truly meant to be together. Committed to one another and happy as a couple, they joined in marriage on September 1, 2007. Together they raised three wonderful children; Anna, Anthony, and Liam. Ryan took his role as a husband and provider seriously. Luckily for Kris, he was an exceptional cook and most recently enjoyed being a stay at home dad. He would have Kris make a list of what she wanted for meals for the week and he took it from there! She would return home to a wonderfully prepared meal made with love. There simply wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her or for the children. He loved each of them and tenderly cared for them. When he needed some time to relax and collect himself, he turned to the solace of nature, the garden, or his barn. He loved tinkering on tractors and growing food to feed his family. He also enjoyed the fresh air of a campsite as well as the breeze while riding his Harley Davidson over the years. Ryan grew his strong faith life leaving his fingerprints on many aspects of the Vicksburg United Methodist Church, the church he called home for so many years. A faithful servant, Ryan modeled generosity and lived his life with a high moral compass. There is no doubt that all those who knew and loved him will greatly miss his extraordinary ability to love unconditionally. May they feel blessed to have shared his life and may his memories be eternal. Ryan C. Miller, of Vicksburg, Michigan, passed away on Friday, May 22, 2020 at the age of 43. Ryan is survived by his wife of 12 years, Kris; three children: Anna Lynn, Anthony Ryan, and Liam all of Vicksburg; his parents: Timothy and Deborah Miller, of Vicksburg; two siblings: Scott (Kathy) Miller, of Vicksburg; Todd (Mandy) Miller, of Vicksburg. He is also survived by his mother and father-in-law: Deb and Wayne Spiegelberg, of Vicksburg; four sister-in-law’s: Brandy Thomas, of Vicksburg; Sara Spiegelberg, of Springfield; Bonnie (Blake) Osborn, of Grand Rapids; and Barbie (Jason) Masternak, of Dorr; and several nieces and nephews and cousins. Ryan is preceded in death by his grandparents: Bob and Kay Miller, Jim Frye, and great grandma, Lur Dumas. A memorial will be held this Saturday, May 30, 2020 at 11 am at 8074 East XY Ave, Vicksburg, with Pastor Greg Culver officiating. A military honors presentation of the flag will follow. The family will begin greeting friends on Saturday at 10am at the same location. While visiting Ryan’s webpage at www.mccowensecord.com please take time to sign his guestbook by lighting a candle and/or sharing a memory with the family. Those who wish may make contributions to Wounded Warrior Project https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ and/or USO Military Lounge https://www.uso.org/. Ryan’s family is being cared for by the McCowen & Secord Funeral Home, Rupert-Durham Chapel, 409 South Main Street, Vicksburg, MI 49097 (269-649-1697).