Lasting Legacy

Lance Corporal Ryan E. Miller, SFD class of 2003, was killed in action serving in Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Division in Anbar Province, Iraq on September 3, 2006. That day, Lance Corporal Miller volunteered to drive a humvee carrying supplies to support his fellow Marines. His humvee was hit by an IED on the route, killing him and his gunner instantly. Upon enlisting in the United States Marine Corps in December 2003, Ryan told his parents that “he thought he would come out of it a stronger, better person with lifelong friendships.'' As Ryan told his father, Ed: “There's nothing negative here, Dad. This is all good.'' Ryan was serving his second tour in Iraq in September 2006. He also served in Africa. Joseph Rivera, a fellow marine who had served with Ryan, wrote the following message to Ryan's family on an Internet tribute website:

I'm very sorry for your loss. I knew Ryan shortly after he got to the 3-2. I stood a lot of posts with him. He was a good Marine and an even better
friend. He was one of the best guys I've ever had the privilege of serving with. He will be missed--but never forgotten.

Lance Corporal Miller grew up in Gahanna, attending St. Matthew the Apostle School before St. Francis DeSales High School. His parents, Ed and Mary (Blubaugh) Miller, SFD ’76 and sister Tara Martinez, SFD ’05 created the LCpl Ryan E. Miller Scholarship at DeSales to continue his legacy of selfless commitment to others. Ryan valued his education and planned on entering college to be a police officer after his four years in the Marines. The first year after Ryan’s death, the support for the scholarship was overwhelming from family, friends and the community. Since its inception, the scholarship has provided two $4,000 scholarships for incoming first year SFD students, one boy and one girl, from feeder parishes. To further fund the scholarship the LCpl Ryan E. Miller Memorial Golf Scramble was created. The first Memorial Scramble, started by Ed’s brother Bob and sister-in-law Chris, took place in September 2007. The 15th LCpl Ryan E Miller Memorial Golf Scramble took place on September 18, 2021, 16 years, 2 weeks and 1 day after Ryan’s sacrifice. This year marked the final golf scramble as the scholarship has been fully endowed. To date, the scholarship has been awarded to 30 SFD students, offering $120,000 of support to those families, and will continue to bring Ryan’s legacy to endless generations of future Stallions.

The 15 years of golf has not only helped fund Ryan’s scholarship, but has provided the opportunity for the Marines who served with Ryan to reunite, share stories, and also heal. They each have adopted the Miller family into their own families, and the Millers have adopted these Marines into their family. For the past 15 years, these amazing men who come to Columbus from all over the country always make a visit to Ryan’s gravesite at Resurrection Cemetery on their way to the golf course. The SFD scholarship recipients and their parents have also been invited to the dinner following the outing where they hear Ryan’s Marine brothers speak about honor and commitment — another way Ryan’s legacy lives on.

The Miller family would like to thank everyone for their support, love, and prayers throughout these past 15 years, especially Van and Terri (Blubaugh ’71) Ambrose and Mike and Judi (Blubaugh ’80) Lisi. The support of Ryan’s Marines, family members, friends and the DeSales community has been invaluable.

Ryan’s words proved to be prophetic...“lifelong friendships” indeed. His legacy and sacrifice have brought those he loved together to create opportunities for countless individuals in the St. Francis DeSales family for generations to come.