1956: Dr. Felix P. Miller dies at 82

El Paso’s Grand Old Man of Medicine, Dr. Felix P. Miller, died at 5:45 p.m. Thursday in his home, 2715 Richmond st. His death three days after his 82nd birthday marked the end of a fabulous career that spanned 52 years. That career had been an active one until three weeks ago. When a colleague asked him to slow down on his 75th birthday or face dire results, he replied: “I can’t think of a better way to die.” He was a member of the American Medical Assc., past president of the state association, honorary member of the American Board of Surgery, a top official from Texas in the American College of Surgeons from 1916 until his death; member of the International College of Surgeons and a member of the executive committee of the Southwest Indian Welfare Commission, to name only a few of his many affiliations. Born Aug. 20, 1874, in Coryell County, Texas, he was a son of William J. and Emeline Black Miller. He came to El Paso as a child in the early 1880’s and lived in a house that stood where the First National Building is located today. The then young Miller attended the first public school in the city, El Paso Select School for Males and Females at 408 San Antonio St. It was a two-room adobe house about a half block west of the present location of Liberty Hall. The family, after a short stay here, moved to Colorado City, Texas. For his training in medical and pharmacy (he won degrees in both) Dr. Miller went to the University of Texas branch in Galveston. He was graduated in 1899 at 25. Following practice in Midland, Texas, Dr. Miller returned to El Paso to stay in 1903. It was a an American College of Surgeons meeting in 1952 in Dallas, after Dr. Miller had followed a highly technical operation that he recalled: “Medicine was not always so scientific.” TREATED VILLA WOUNDED He recalled how he had been called across the Rio Grande by Pancho Villa to treat the wounded of the Mexican general’s army during the battle for Juarez. Since there was no catgut or surgical needles, Dr. Miller ordered cotton thread and darning needles. He treated 100 soldiers in 24 hours and even did abdominal operations with only the crudest of instruments. The bullets were flying, Dr. Miller recounted, but those in the make-shift hospital were too busy to notice. Dr. Miller first became interested in the X-ray when the science was in its infancy. While he was a student at the medical branch in Galveston he constructed what he believed was the first X-ray machine in Texas. First picture Dr. Miller took with the “home-made” gadget was that of a woman’s hand wearing a ring, to show contrast. The finished product was placed in a photo exhibit at Galveston and captured such interest there was a traffic jam. The police made him take it down. During the informative years of that science, many men lost their lives, some received permanent injures and Dr. Miller was no exception – he lost a finger from a burn. As a doctor, he was a general practitioner until his death. As his eldest son, Sampson expressed it: “Dad was practicing medicine before they thought of specialists in this part of the country.” COLLECED WORDS A genuine picture of the man can be found on a book-lined room at his home. The texts are as varied in subject matter as those at the public library. A linguist he could even speak Chinese. A scholar, he could read Sanskrit. The books are ever the measure of the man. They are books, well-thumbed books with notes in their margin. None of them were for show. Dr. Miller’s interest in books started at an early age, but his collecting of words came about after two other hobbies came to a sorry end. Soon after setting up practice in El Paso he started a coin collection. But as soon as the collection was of some value it was stolen. He next began to collect books. In time, this was stolen. His son Samson said: “Dad then decided to collect something no one could steal from him – words.” OUTSTANDING MASON Dr. Miller was a 32nd degree Mason with one of the longest standings in that rank in the Southwest. He became a Shriner at Hella Temple in Dallas in 1903. His work both as a physician and in the organization have been widely acclaimed. It was at the 65th semi-annual reunion of the El Paso Scottish Rite Bodies that Dr. Muller went into retirement as master of the 32nd degree – he had conferred it twice a year for 30 consecutive years. Altogether he had been active in Scottish Rite degree work for 32 years. At their 65th reunion, he was presented a silver dish, appropriately inscribed, as evidence of the high esteem in which he is held by Scottish Rite Masons. In 1907 (he had become Mason in 1900) Dr. Miller helped organize an El Paso Consistory. A charter member, he began in the degrees. MARRIED TWICE Dr. Miller’s first wife, Mrs. Iva Connell Miller, died in 1912. His second wife, Mrs. Jane Walker Miller, whom he married in 1916, died Feb. 16 this year. He is survived by two sons, Sampson O. Miller of Houston and Felix P. Miller Jr. of Mobile Ala. Three daughters, Mrs. Iva Dell Fleck of Childersburg, Ala, Mrs. Jane Miller Davison of West Point, N.Y., and Mrs. Grace M. Maple of El Paso; a sister, Mrs. W.H. Brennand of Ft. Davis, Texas. 15 grandchildren and a great-grandson. Dr. Miller was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Services were pending at Rodehaver-Miller Funeral Home.