Ed was born in Charleroi Hospital in Pennsylvania. His parents were George William Miller and Margaret Bidzilya, both deceased. In 1956 his family moved from Charleroi to Monessen where Ed attended Washington Elementary School on Chestnut Avenue. In 1960 Ed’s family moved to Carrick in Allegheny County. His father worked at the USPS terminal in downtown Pittsburgh. Dave, his brother, graduated from PITT in 1967. Cathie, Ed’s sister, graduated from Edinboro University. Ed graduated 1968 From Carrick High School. He played a lawyer in the senior class play “The Night of January 16th” by Ayn Rand. Most nights, the audience chose Ed’s side. He was good with words. Ed liked to play Scrabble. He was captain of the chess team and member of the Key Club. After graduation, he attended Penn State University. Unfortunately, Ed was diagnosed with Schizophrenia in his sophomore year. After treatment at Western Psych and Mayview Hospital, he successfully graduated from Point Park with honors and a degree in journalism. Ed published an article in the Pittsburgh Press showing a picture of his sister’s Shih Tzu dog named Genghis next to a mop. Hard to tell the difference, according to Ed. Ed loved words and writing. Family issues prevented Ed from developing a career. Most of his life was spent living with his parents in Carrick while receiving support and treatment in the Mercy Behavioral Health program. Once parents were unable to live independently, Ed began living in a Residential Care Home in Pittsburgh. His brother Dave became caretaker in 2006. Since Dave lived in Ohio, many trips were needed to help. In 2016, deteriorating health required moving Ed to a nursing home in Ohio where Dave and his wonderful wife Charlene were able to visit often and help Ed live a better quality of life. Drugs used to treat Schizophrenia over several decades may have led to cirrhosis of the liver for Ed. Ultimately, Ed succumbed to this disease while living at Tuscany Gardens in Pataskala, Ohio. Over the decades, Ed filled over a hundred notebooks with his thoughts and words. Ed is survived by his brother, David (Charlene) Miller, Ohio; and sister, Cathie (David) Shenefelt of Pennsylvania; two nieces, Lauri Leonard and Stephani Hobbs; and two nephews, Matthew (Leigh Ann) Miller and Eric (Lisa) Miller. He was “Great Uncle Eddie” to 10 grand-nieces and grand-nephews. One viewing will be held for Ed at Kauber-Fraley Funeral Home in Pataskala, Ohio, from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. Subsequently Ed will be transported to Robert A. Billick Funeral Home, 1415 Marion Ave, Monessen, PA, for visitation from 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Ed will be interred at Grandview Cemetery. Visiting the cemetery is not allowed due to weather. In lieu of flowers, consider donating to Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance (SARDAA) https://sczaction.org/. Ed’s brother Dave is an avid genealogy researcher. Paternal grandfather, Michael Rusnak was born near Kosice, Slovakia, in 1883. He emigrated near Uniontown, Fayette County, to work in coal mines. Maternal grandfather Charles William Bidzilya was born in Dorobratovo, Zakarpattya Oblast, Ukraine, in 1988. He emigrated to Monessen, Westmoreland County to work in a steel mill. To discover more, visit the Miller-Rusnak-Staruch-Bidzilya family tree on ANCESTRY.COM administered by slavicamerican, the Miller-Rusnak-Bidzilya Family Tree on MY HERITAGE, and GEDmatch.com. To help collaborators do genealogy research in Eastern Europe Dave created a four-page document. To obtain a copy, send a request to: DGMILLERZ@OUTLOOK.COM. Dave collaborates with over 100 DNA cousins worldwide. Ukraine records are difficult to research and may not exist at all. DNA is one of the best ways to find your Eastern European ancestors (deceased or living). Three Ukraine relatives previously unknown to our family came to live with us in Ohio for the month of July 2024. DNA tests subsequently confirmed their relationship.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Edward Charles Miller, please visit our flower store.
Make a donation to one of the following charities in remembrance of Edward Charles Miller
Robert A. Billick Funeral Home
Visits: 142
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors