Wesley C. Miller

Wesley C. Miller, born on February 28, 1949, in Corvallis, Oregon, passed away December 21, 2024, after a brief battle with cancer. Born and raised in Corvallis, Wes was the eldest son of Clair and Edith Miller. Introduced to farming at a young age, Wes grew up in the Heart of the Willamette Valley, learning about the industry alongside his father, mother and family friends. Upon graduating from Corvallis High School in 1967, Wes headed to the University of British Columbia where he met his wife, Terry. They were married in February of 1971 in Sydney, British Columbia. Graduating with a Bachelor of Applied Sciences in 1972, he and Terry returned to Oregon to begin farming and start a family. The next 10 years encompassed several milestones and achievements. He joined the Oregon Farm Bureau in 1974 and was awarded the Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher in the mid-late 70’s at the National Farm Bureau Convention. He and Terry adopted their eldest child, Mary, in 1980, he received a Diploma in Biblical Scholarship from Ambassador College in 1981 and welcomed the adoption of their son James in 1984. When Wes wasn’t out on a tractor or listening intently to the radio to see if the winds were just right for field burning, he could be found on one of his sailboats, the Assiduous, the Serendipity, or the Moon Shadow. Wes was an active adventurer and enjoyed hunting, fishing, hiking, and canoeing. Yes, believe it or not, the canoe, often seen on the top of his vehicles, did on occasion make it into the water! He loved to travel and visited every state in the United States, every province in Canada, as well as Europe and Mexico. Sunday evenings at home in the 80’s Wes could be heard on his Ham Radio where he would chat for hours with fellow operators under the call sign WA7PWZ handle W.E.S which stood for Whisky Every Sunday. In 2010 Wes went back to school and earned his Master’s in Biological & Ecological Engineering from Oregon State University, proving the point, you are never too old to keep learning and educating yourself. Wes’s devotion to his family, neighbors, and the farming community was unwavering and led him to be elected as the Oregon Farm Bureau President for Benton County not once, but twice. The first in 1977 and again in 2013 where he held the office until passing the torch Winter of 2024. He was honored with being inducted into the Oregon Farm Bureau Hall of Fame a few weeks before his passing. Wes is survived by his wife: Terry of 53 years or 646 months as they made a point to celebrate monthly, his daughter: Mary Beyer (Mike), son: James Miller (Chrissy), six grandchildren: Hayden (19), Brooklyn (16), William (8), Teagan (6), Alayna (6) & Cara (6), and brothers: Gale (Diane) & Mark (Tina). A memorial service will be held Sunday, January 5th at 2:00 p.m. in Guerber Hall at the Benton County Fairgrounds for family and friends who would like to attend.

Wesley C. Miller

February 28, 1949 - December 21, 2024