Obituary of Matthew J. Miller

Age 43, died as the result of a violent collision with a car as he was cycling down Hendy Creek Road on Thursday, April 24, 2014. Matt was a 1989 graduate of EFA and had nearly completed a degree in International Studies and Middle Eastern Languages at Portland State U. in Portland, OR. In addition to his love of bicycling, Matt ran several marathons and was fascinated by languages, speaking German, Turkish and Spanish fluently, some Portuguese, and Arabic as well. The past couple years he was a loving stay-at-home dad in Jamaica Plain, MA raising the apple of his eye, his only child, newly seven-year-old Holden. In addition to Holden Matt is survived by his wife Michele Fishbein Miller of Brooklyn, NY; father Thomas Miller of Elmira; mother Gulsevil Salgir Dodson of Jamaica Plain, MA; brother John Miller of Portland, OR. Matt is also survived by special aunts, Carolyn Miller Mertens and her husband Dave of Belleville, WI, Yeshim Salgir, Ankara, Turkey; cousins, Christa Mertens Evans of Durham, NC, Paul Mertens of Waukesha, WI and Anil Gurcan of Boston, MA; grandmothers, Frances Miller of Elmira and Melahat Salgir of Ankara, Turkey. It is a special wish of the family that Matthew not have died in vain, but that all drivers become more conscious and aware of bicyclists on the roads. Matt's family have gained a measure of comfort from the knowledge that his prior decision to donate his organs has already benefited those in need from North Carolina to Portland, OR, a city he truly loved. There will be a gathering of family and friends on Saturday, May 3, 2014 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Patrick's, 303 College Avenue, Elmira.