By Jessica Lee
Murphy News Service
John Miller, a 95-year-old former U.S. Navy pilot, captured the attention of almost every customer at the St. Louis Park Starbucks Sunday as he shared some of the special stories that come with a long life.
In a coffee shop full of people, Miller stood out among the crowd. He was sharply dressed in a suit, tie and top hat, but what stood out the most about Miller was his captivating life story.
When Miller noticed a young woman’s University of Minnesota sweatshirt, he began to talk about how he went to law school there. It wasn’t long before nearly everyone in the Starbucks off of Excelsior Boulevard in St. Louis Park was gathered around taking pictures and listening to Miller’s story.
Miller was a Navy pilot during World War II. Saying he saw many soldiers get shot down, he proudly noted that he always landed safely despite his aircraft being hit a few times.
Miller was sent to Boston toward the end of the war. He then flew out to Seattle to visit family. When he made it to Seattle though, Miller was told he was going to have to return to war to help in the bombing of Japan.
Miller was just about to leave for Japan when he got a call that the war had ended, and he didn’t need to fly to Japan. “I got very lucky,” he says.
When the war ended, Miller flew to Minnesota to see his family that he hadn’t seen in years. Miller says he went to meet with his good friend who was an insurance agent when he got back to Minnesota. When Miller went to meet his friend though, his friend said to him: “I think you’d have more fun getting lunch with my secretary, Wanda.”
Miller says this was one of the best things that could have happened to him. “I knew on that first date that I was going to marry her,” says Miller. “I even told her [Wanda] on that first date that I wanted to marry her.”
Miller eventually married Wanda, and they moved into the house in which Miller still lives in on France Avenue. “That house has five bedrooms,” says Miller. “And I bought if for just $1,500.”
Buying a house so reasonably was just one of Miller’s many smart investments, he says, adding that he and Wanda got married they bought some farm land just 30 minutes north of the Twin Cities for cheap. Miller says they didn’t have it for long though: “I was advised to sell it shortly after buying it.” Miller says he ended up selling the farm for $1.5 million.
“We always had money and never had to worry,” says Miller. “We had a great life.”
The Millers had four children and Miller earned his law degree from the University of Minnesota. He worked as an attorney for most of his life. “We lived such a wonderful life,” says Miller. “Nothing bad ever happened to us except for one thing.”
Miller said his daughter was murdered by her estranged husband. His daughter, 56-year-old Barbara DeBoise, was fatally stabbed in April 2010 by her husband Howard DeBoise, 56.
On April 6, 2010 Barbara DeBoise reported to St. Louis Park police that her husband had assaulted her a day earlier, according to an article in the Star Tribune.
Barbara was stabbed to death by Howard just a couple days later. Howard was convicted of murder in the second degree in May 2011. He is currently serving time at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Rush City. The earliest he could be releases is Oct. 21, 2024.
Miller says the only other bad thing that has happened to him besides his daughter’s death was the death of his wife in June.
“I cared for Wanda up until her death,” says Miller. “She wanted to be at home with me, and that’s where I wanted her to be.”
Miller still lives in his France Avenue home in St. Louis Park with one of his sons. Every week he can be found chatting with friends at the same Starbucks in St. Louis Park. And he never hesitates to tell his stories, which always seem to captivate those around him.
Jessica Lee is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.