Bernard Miller, former Princeton Township mayor, dies at 95

Bernard “Bernie” Miller, who served on the governing bodies of both the former Princeton Township Committee and the consolidated Princeton Council, died Saturday. He was 95.

Born on April 19, 1929, Miller earned his bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from Penn State University in 1950 and his master’s in aeronautical engineering from the United States Air Force Institute of Technology in 1954.

He taught engineering at the United States Naval Academy from 1954 to 1957. In 1954 he received the NASA Public Service Award for managing the NASA Ranger Program that took the first hi-resolution pictures of the moon from space. He achieved the rank of captain in the United States Air Force and was discharged in 1957. During his career, he worked for CA, GE Lockheed Martin, and ECON, Inc. He was a senior vice president at Lockheed Martin International and president of ECON.

An independent thinker who did not always go along with the status quo on the governing body, Miller was first elected to serve on the Princeton Township Committee in 2002. During his time in local politics, he served on numerous committees, including the affordable housing board, the cable tv committee, the sewer operating committee, and the consolidation transition task force, and was chosen by his colleagues to serve as deputy mayor and mayor. Miller decided in 2017 to retire from local politics.

Lance Liverman, who served on the Princeton Township Committee and Princeton Council with Miller, mourned the loss of Miller and said he valued Miller’s leadership and guidance when they served together.

“My heart is broken over the loss of a quiet giant. Bernie was an advisor, mentor, supporter, and most of all a dear friend,” said Liverman. “He will be missed by the Princeton community. Thank you Bernie for all of your years of dedication to the public.“

Former Princeton Councilwoman Jenny Crumiller said Miller was a good person who was truly a pillar of the community.

“He was also a pleasure to work with on the governing body,” Crumiller said. “He was friendly and was a good listener, and he was always respectful, even when disagreeing with someone.”

Former Princeton Councilwoman Jo Butler said his passing is a loss for all of Princeton. Butler said she first got to know Miller when they served together on the Friends of the Princeton Public Library.

“He was reliable and of good cheer, willing to do whatever job needed to be done. When it came to fundraising, Bernie was a standout in his ability to convince people and organizations that they should support the Friends. I referred to him as the Velvet Hammer,” Butler said.

“After the Borough and the Township consolidated, and Bernie and I were elected to serve on the new governing body, my admiration for Bernie’s skills and dedication to public service grew,” Butler said. “We were fortunate to have someone with his experience from the private sector. He understood operations, roles and responsibilities, and reporting structures and boundaries – all great skills in a newly formed government. Bernie, Jenny Crumiller, and I spent countless hours harmonizing the administrative codes. Bernie was equally good at seeing the big picture and tending to the excruciating details. Princeton is a better place due to Bernie’s service, wisdom, and leadership.”