James Reeve Miller, 82, of Macungie, died Jan. 27, 2021, at home.

He and his wife, Barbara (Kuras) Miller, were married 53 years in 2020.

Born in Philadelphia, he was the son of James DeHaven and M. Jessie (Rouviere) Miller.

He attended Abington High School, and Drexel University graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1961.

He entered the U.S. Army in 1962 and spent two years as a company commander with the 293rd Engineering Battalion in Baumholder Germany.

He retired from the Army in 1964 as a first lieutenant.

Upon returning to the states, he resumed employment with Bell of Pennsylvania as a trainee and was sent to Chicago in 1966 to attend Illinois. Institute of Technology where he met and married his wife in Hinsdale, Ill.

They settled in Delaware County, Pa. and eventually he was promoted to district engineer and transferred to the Allentown office in 1977 where he worked for 14 years and retired in 1991.

In 1994, Jim was hired by D&E Telephone Co. as director of engineering in Budapest, Hungary, at the Monor Telefon Tarsasag (company).

In just under two years, the company built a digital, state-of-the-art telephone network for a suburban area just outside Budapest of 40 villages and small towns.

He returned to the Lehigh Valley in December 1995.

The family joined Jordan Lutheran Church, Orefield, in 1982 and he was elected to church council for three years in 1984.

Appointed to the Upper Macungie Township Planning Commission in 1995, he became chairman from 1999-2004, before he and his family relocated to California.

The family joined Hope Lutheran Church, Temecula, Calif., and he again became an active member serving on a steering committee to build a new church on site.

He also became a Christian Care Giver with Stephen Ministries.

The family returned to the Lehigh Valley in 2016 and located in Lower Macungie Township.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Darius (Lisa) of San Diego, Calif.; daughters Denyse Miller and partner Brad, of Jacksonville Fla.; Leigh Kern (John) of Coopersburg; grandchildren Kiersten and Miranda Miller and Aiden and Rylan Kern; sisters Jean Leshko (Tom) of Burke, Va.; Adele Frances of Albuquerque, N.M.; sister-in-law Rita Misek of Agawam, Mass.; and nieces and nephews.

Services will be announced at a later date.

Condolences may be offered to the family at kellerfuneralhomes.com.

Contributions may be made to Jordan Lutheran Church memorial fund, 5103 Snowdrift Road, Orefield, PA 18069.

Arrangements made by by Keller Funeral Homes Inc., Fogelsville.