Maria Garriga, Register Staff 04/17/2005
CLINTON — Hundreds of firefighters gathered downtown Saturday to remember one of their own.
Jeffrey T. Miller started with the town’s volunteer department when he was 15 and stayed until he died at 39 of cancer Tuesday.
"He loved his community," said Frank Schremp, Clinton’s deputy fire chief. "He always went out of his way and touched a lot of lives."
Miller served as assistant fire chief and deputy fire marshal for years.
He also played in the town’s softball league.
Main Street and Route 145 closed for several hours to accommodate hundreds of mourners.
More than 200 firefighters in full uniform, including 100 from Clinton, paid their respects.
Firefighters from Old Saybrook and Westbrook agreed to cover calls in Clinton and direct traffic during daylong funeral activities.
Mourners walked from the Swan Funeral Home on Main Street to St. Mary’s Church of the Visitation for services, then to the cemetery on Route 145 for the funeral.
At the cemetery, mourners released dozens of balloons.
"The balloons signify his spirit rising. Look at that. They’re floating to his house. He lived right around the corner," said Clinton Police Cpl. Jeremiah Dunn, who attended Morgan High School in Clinton with Miller.
"They’re floating to his house. He lived right around the corner," Dunn said.
The funeral was followed by a reception held at the Clinton Fire Department headquarters on Main Street.
Even those directing traffic had fond memories of Miller.
"He was dedicated. He was involved in everything in the town and was a volunteer firefighter. These are the people who get out of bed at 2 a.m. when they get a call," said Clinton police Sgt. Don Mill.
Miller worked with his stepfather, Hugh Allen, running Hugh Allen’s Appliance, a store in Clinton.
He is survived by his wife, Deborah, and two daughters, Taylor and MacKenzie.
Maria Garriga can be reached at mgarriga@nhregister.comor 789-5726.
İNew Haven Register 2005