Obituary of Richard Miller

MILLER Richard Yale, age 83 originally of Wyckoff died Saturday, March 24, 2012 at the Paramus Veterans' Home after a 25-year struggle with Parkinson's Disease. Mr. Miller started the Parkinson's Support Group in Ridgewood and worked tirelessly to find a cure for this disease. Mr. Miller was the former owner of Millers Pharmacy in Wyckoff, the son of the founder, Robert Miller. He was a past President of the NJ Pharmaceutical Association, and served as adjunct professor at both the Albany and Rutgers Colleges of Pharmacy. Among his many awards and honors were the Bowl of Hygeia for Pharmacy community service, the Kilmer award for Pharmaceutical literature, and the Rosica award for outstanding work with pharmacy students. Richard founded the Myra and Alan Kaplan Memorial Scholarship for pharmacy students. He had served as the chairman of the Wyckoff Drug Abuse Council and Lion's Club and also served on the Juvenile Conference Committee and Board of Health. He was a graduate of Syracuse University (1950), and Albany College of Pharmacy (1954). Richard served in the U.S. Army, stationed in Alaska during the Korean War era from 1954 to 1956. He is survived by his wife Carol Motyka-Miller, his brother Edward and wife Bella of Wanaque, his three children: David and wife Rebecca of Wyckoff, Douglas and wife Heidi of Shorewood, MN, and Debbie of Mahwah; and two stepchildren, Mark Motyka of Happy Camp, CA, and Danielle Motyka and husband Philip Vander Molen of Syracuse, NY. He is also survived by nine grandchildren: Brian, Freddie, Max, Artie, Sarah, Matthew, Grace, Thomas, and Samuel. There will be a private burial. A public Memorial Service will take place on Saturday, April 21, 2012, 11:00 a.m. at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, 113 Cottage Place, Ridgewood. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Parkinson's Support Group of the Greater Ridgewood Area: PSGRA, 24 Skytop Road, Wantage, NJ 07461, or the National Parkinson's Foundation 1501 N.W. 9th Avenue/Bob Hope Road, Miami, Florida 33136-1494. Arrangements by the Vander Plaat Funeral Home of Wyckoff (vpfh.com).