Ralph Bryant Miller

Ralph Bryant Miller, 57, of La Grande and formerly of Salt Lake City, died April 10. A memorial service was held Sunday in Island City.

He was born Dec. 15, 1952, in Pueblo, Colo. After completing high school, he and his brother Mark joined the Army in 1971. After completing his training as a medic, he was stationed in Germany where he completed his time in the military.

In 1981 he graduated from Victor Valley College with an associate degree in science and respiratory therapy. During his career, he was nominated and received Employee of the Year multiple times. Bryant was especially known for his high quality care of his patients, physically and emotionally.

After an accident at work in 1995, Bryant was no longer physically able to perform his professional duties. He became increasingly active in his local community, especially with the "Liberty Tribe" in Salt Lake City. The group would meet every Sunday at the local park downtown to play a variety of instruments and drums for an event commonly known as a drum circle.

Bryant enjoyed playing a large bass drum that was hand fashioned by people of Navajo descent.

In 2007 Bryant moved to La Grande to be closer to his sons and be more involved in his children's and grandchildren's lives.

Some of his other hobbies included camping, hiking and being an amateur geologist and archeologist. He collected thousands of rocks over the years and found hundreds of interesting unique finds such as glacier wheels, meteorites and prehistoric tools.

Bryant had an extreme love for playing music and being in the wilderness. He spent his last days doing what he loved, playing his 12-string guitar, writing music and playing his harmonica.

He was preceded in death by his father, Ralph Miller; and siblings, Sandy, Mark and David Miller. He is survived by his three sons, Robert Coy, Mark and Mick Miller; his mother and step-father, Dorothy and Ray Cunningham; siblings, Lori Sager, Steven Cunningham and Andrea Logue; two grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

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