December 1, 2023
Russ has left this life to be in the eternal presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ after a long and heroic battle with Diabetes. He will forever be loved and missed by family and friends.
Russ Donivan Miller was born on May 3rd, 1960 in Smithville, Tennessee. His family moved to the Detroit area after a time. He attended elementary school in Michigan and later the family once again resettled in Dekalb County. After moving back, he attended DeKalb Middle School and was a proud Graduate of DeKalb County High School class of 1978, and a graduate of Belmont University in Nashville with a degree in Marketing.
While in High School, Russ won the State of Tennessee Geometry award and came in 3rd in the national compettion. After high school, he then began a series of adventures which eventually took him to all fifty states which was a bucket list item. He proudly became the face of “Combo” the Indian in the 1980’s Wendy’s commercials. The commercials opened the door to many modeling opportunities, and he became a familiar face in the Castner Knott and Dillards clothing advertisements. After that, he decided to pursue his acting and modeling career in San Diego, California. He jumped on the back of a motorcycle and headed West, to follow his dreams.
While in California, he became a certified scuba diver, and got the opportunity to work on a salmon fishing boat in Alaska for 6 months. After 2 years, Tennessee began to call to him and he headed home. He then began to study with David Deaton Karate, and obtained his black belt, and competed in the Battle of Atlanta tournament.
While living in Nashville, he was the owner of Miller Construction Company and a chimney sweeping business. After being slowed down by his illness, he then moved to Murfreesboro and became a realtor for Crye-Leike, and pursued more serene activities, like camping and fishing from his boat. Sometimes, he would spend his winters in Florida to escape the cold. Russ loved spending time with family and friends, enjoying a catfish dinner with those he loved at Miller’s Café in Christiana, reading and studying his Bible, and talking about Jesus to anyone who would listen. Russ was most proud of his faith in Jesus Christ, and finally got to travel to Israel and the Holy Land and be baptized in the Jordan River. Russ was an amazing, talented, and loving person, and he will be a beacon of love and perseverance for those left to go on without him.
He was preceded in death by his father Valter L. Miller, his mother Imojean (Pack) Miller Morris Cooper, his sister Deborah Lynn Miller, his brother Rudy V. Miller, and his grandmother Sally Mai Pack. He is survived by his sister Sherry (Mike) Holsted of Murfreesboro, his niece Kathy Miller of Murfreesboro, Valerie (Wade) Lewis of Scottsville, Ky., nephew Adam Holsted of Nashville, Great niece Lydia (Gary) Manley of Key West, Fl., Great niece Sophie Holsted, Great nephew Max Holsted, Great nephews Jackson, Parker, and Simon Lewis, and Great Great nephew Bentlee Saunders.
There will be visitation with the family on Saturday, December 9th from 12:00 to 2:00 at which time a celebration of life service will be held at Love -Cantrell Funeral Home in Smithville. Reverend Wade Lewis will be officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in memory of Russ Donivan Miller to the American Diabetes Association, or to Green House Ministries in Murfreesboro, Tennessee