CHINA GROVE – John Lewis Miller Jr., 63, of 175 Stirewalt Road, died Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007, at NorthEast Medical Center in Concord following a serious illness since May 2006.

Born Jan. 17, 1944, in Cabarrus County, Mr. Miller was a son of John L. Miller Sr. of Baltimore, Md., and Iva Brown Smith of Kannapolis. A 1962 graduate of South Rowan High School, he was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served for four years.

Mr. Miller was employed with Norfolk Southern Railway for 30 years as a first brakeman and engineer and later was an engineer with Amtrak.

He was a member of Blackwelder Park Baptist Church and Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

He was preceded in death by his stepfather, Otis Smith.

Surviving are his wife of 40 years, Janice R. Miller; sons J. Bradley Miller of China Grove and Darren L. Miller and wife Kathryn of Lynchburg, Va.; brother Mark Smith of Kannapolis; sister Kay Kirby and husband Ernest “Buddy” of Terrell; stepmother Betty Miller of Baltimore, Md.; and grandchildren Jesse and Katie Miller of Lynchburg, Va.

Service: 3 p.m. today at Blackwelder Park Baptist Church with the Rev. Stan Welch and the Rev. Roger Head officiating. Burial will be at Greenlawn Cemetery in China Grove.

Visitation: 1-3 p.m. today at the church. At other times, the family will be at the home.

Whitley’s Funeral Home in Kannapolis is in charge of arrangements.