Edward 'Eddie' Miller

Edward W. ‘Eddie’ Miller, 89, of Merrill passed away Sunday, June 9, 2019 at Aspirus Wausau Hospital. Eddie was born June 15, 1929, in Dorchester, WI, son of the late William and Myrtle (Oehler) Miller. He graduated from Medford High School in 1948. He married Betty Berg on June 17, 1953. She survives. Eddie enlisted in the United States Army in 1948. He served during the Korean War and was honorably discharged in 1952. During his time in the Army, he went to cooking and baking school. Eddie and his wife, Betty, bought their first bakery in Loyal, WI in February of 1954. Early on during his career as a baker, Eddie also ran several storefront outlets in Spencer, Stratford, Colby, Neillsville and Marshfield. They eventually bought a bakery in Medford. They bought a local bakery in 1959. In 1966, they sold the Loyal bakery and moved to Merrill to focus on their growing business. They ran ‘Eddie’s Bake Shop’ until 2000. While in Merrill, they also bought the former ‘Zettler’s’ bakery and coffee shop and renamed it ‘Eddie’s Eastside Coffee Shop and Bakery’. Eddie retired in 2000 but worked in the bakery at Dave’s County Market in his retirement. He fully retired at age 83. Baking wasn’t just a job to Eddie, it was a passion that started at an early age. Eddie was a member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Merrill. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus. Eddie was a true family man and loved his family dearly. Survivors include his wife, Betty Miller of Merrill; daughters, Debra (Ed) Normadeau of Mount Horeb, Jane Pajtash of Merrill, Mary (Bill) Mullins of Mosinee, Ellen Janikowski of Merrill and Anne (Greg) Sondelski of Mosinee; seven grandchildren, Seth (Stephannie) Pajtash, Sadie Pajtash, Ben (Jaclyn) Mullins, Andy (MacKenzie) Mullins, Jenny Sundquist, Jason Janikowski and John (Valerie) Janikowski; nine great-grandchildren, Ethan, Wesley, Emma, Olivia, Veronica, Bernadette, Josephine, Hudson and Asher; three sisters, Ruth Wood, Rosemary Berg and Barbara Nyberg; and one brother, Fred Miller. Eddie was preceded in death by his parents, William and Myrtle Miller; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Raymond and Mary Berg; and three sisters, Ethel Bounds and infants Joan and Shirley Miller. The Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, June 15, 2019 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Merrill. Father Chris Kemp will preside. Burial will take place in St. Francis Xavier Catholic Cemetery, Merrill. Visitation will be Friday, June 14, 2019 from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. at the Taylor-Stine Funeral Home, Merrill. There will be a Knights of Columbus Service at 6:45 P.M. Friday at the funeral home.