Dr. Lyle Herbert Miller
4/18/2016

Dr. Lyle Herbert Miller, 88, died of pneumonia on April 18, 2016 at Massachusetts General Hospital after giving orders to his doctors as to his care up to the last hours of life. To say he was authoritative is an understatement. He had a thirst for knowledge beyond anyone we ever knew. Lyle, also known as "Doc" in Boston's South End neighborhood, believed that the purpose of life was to learn and then share that learning. He taught by example and through lectures, books, research papers, conversation and endless stories of growing up on horseback in Iowa, being in the Navy and life in general. He was passionate about people, science, sports, photography, history, literature, philosophy and his own brand of religion. His stories were enlivened by his acute perception of people and the world. One young friend said she had learned more at his dinner table than she ever did at school. He was a voracious reader as a child. At the young age of 14 he was given the responsibility of looking after his mother and four younger sisters when his father joined the Army. As soon as he turned 17 Lyle dropped out of East Des Moines High School to enlist in the U.S. Navy at the tail end of World War II. He was promptly sent back to school to become a Navy corpsman, thus beginning his life-long interest in medicine and brain function. As a young husband and energetic father of three in his twenties, Lyle worked nights as a printing pressman, while playing basketball, square dancing, coaching little league and building houses with his friends. At the age of 31 he eventually went to college at Drake University during the day where he graduated with honors and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. This late start led to a meteoric research and academic career. At Duke University he received his PhD in Clinical Psychology as well as completing the first two years of medical school. He went on to an illustrious teaching career at various medical schools including the University of Washington, Louisiana State University Medical Center in New Orleans as head of the Psychology Division, Temple University as Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology, and eight years as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Biobehavioral Sciences at Boston University Medical Center where he met his second wife and the love of his life, Dr. Alma Dell Smith. During those academic years he presented at international meetings and published a number of seminal, pioneering papers on the influence of various neuropeptides on brain-behavior relationship, psychopharmacology, and psychophysiology. One of his research collaborators, Andrew Shally, won the Nobel prize in 1978 for his work with neuropeptides. Along with his colleague Curt Sandman, he established the Winter Neuropeptide Conference, joining two favorite pastimes, scientific research and skiing. After a tumultuous departure from academia, Dr. Miller served as a consultant to businesses, coauthored two books with Dr. Smith, The Stress Solutions and Stress And Marriage, and established the Biobehavioral Institute and Treatment Center in Brookline. Together with Alma Dell, he renovated a townhouse in the South End and raised his youngest child, Logan. He practiced what he preached, coping with life and illness with humor and courage. In his 80's, he was still playing competitive basketball with other seniors and found another teaching niche at the Beacon Hill Seminars where he also began writing his memoirs and a novel about corruption in biomedical research. To the end, Dr. Lyle H. Miller showed us what it means to be a hero. To live and die on his own terms. It is hard to believe this handsome, humorous, debonair, vigorous life force and intellect is no longer physically with us. He was the kind of man you would gravitate to at a dinner party, knowing his conversation would be invigorating. He was larger than life. When he stepped into a room, it was filled—with a calm charisma that commanded attention. But Lyle Miller wasn’t simply gorgeous, captivating and engaging. He was also an excellent listener who genuinely “oohed” and “ahhed” over people’s stories in crooning Midwestern tones that soothed the soul. Perfect for the psychotherapy he practiced over so many decades. Young or old, client, contractor or Congressman, he saw and treated each of us as the special person we are. He was a fine and decent man who radiated confidence and hope, yet did not suffer fools gladly, was blunt and used salty language when needed. You knew where you stood with him. At his final hour, he was accepted into yet another teaching position through the Harvard Medical School Anatomical Gift Program. He died the way he lived, inspiring us all. A beloved story teller, husband, father, brother, uncle, friend, mentor and colleague, he will be sorely missed. Dr. Miller was preceded in death by his parents, Ivan G. (Ike) and Mable L. (Grimm) Miller of Des Moines IA. He is survived by his beloved wife of 31 years, Dr. Alma Dell Smith of Boston, his daughter Deborah Miller-Boyle of Durham NC, his son Michael Miller of St. Francisville, LA, his daughter Susan Miller Houston of Eugene OR, his son, Logan Miller of Jamaica Plain, MA and his grandson Benjamin Miller Houston of Oakland CA. He is also survived by four sisters Lois Jones, Sun City, Az., Jane Miller, Phoenix, Az., Vera Conkey, Avondale, Az. and Nancy Quillen, Reeds Spring, Mo as well as many nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held May 14th, 2016, at 4 pm at the First Church, 66 Marlborough St, Boston MA 02116. All are welcome. Those wishing to donate a memorial may do so in favor of Beacon Hill Seminars, 121 Mount Vernon, Boston, MA 02108. The family would like to thank the talented doctors at MGH who respected Lyle's desire to tell them how to practice medicine. For guestbook condolences visit www.bradyfallon.com
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