Miller, E. Willard (Eugene Willard), 1915-2002

Eugene Willard Miller, born in 1915 in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, earned a B.S. degree from Clarion University; an M.A. from the University of Nebraska (1939); and a Ph.D. from Ohio State (1942) before joining the faculty at Case Western University. He was recruited as a geographer by the United States Office of Strategic Services in 1944, serving until 1945. At that time, Edward Steidle, dean of Penn State's College of Mineral Industries, recruited Miller to head its new division of geography. He quickly developed undergraduate and graduate programs as head of the Geography Department. He also became a founder and leader of professional organizations for geographers. Between 1964 and 1980 he served the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences as Assistant and Associate Dean of Resident Instruction until he retired. After retirement, he wrote and taught for another 20 years and died in 2002 in State College.

Ruby Skinner (1911-2003) graduated from Chatham College in 1933 and did graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh before teaching. She married E. Willard Miller in 1941, and, in 1944, was recruited with him as a geographer by the United States Office of Strategic Services. In 1945, she was hired as a map librarian in the Penn State Libraries. There she developed a renowned map and atlas collection, publishing scholarly bibliographies on a wide variety of subjects.

From the description of E. Willard and Ruby Miller papers, 1929-2003. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 753565291