Frederick Bjorn Miller, age 74, of Westport, CT passed away on December 31,2021 after fighting a prolonged battle with prostate cancer. A graveside service with Military Honors will be held at 11am on Wednesday, January 5 at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church cemetery. 285 Lyons Plain Road, Weston CT.  A memorial service will be planned when warmer weather will permit an outdoor gathering.

Fred was born in Ithaca, NY to Eilif Verner Miller and Hazel Hofrichter Miller on January 12, 1947.  Fred spent the majority of his childhood in New Rochelle, NY, his family moved to Bethesda, Maryland in the fall of 1964 and he graduated from Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda in 1965. From 1967 - 1969 he served as a US Army Combat Engineer with B Company of the 31 ^st engineering Battalion. During this period Fred Served in Vietnam for more than a year and was recognized with two awards for Meritorious Performance and Devotion to Duty.

In 1969 He began his career with IBM in White Plains, NY at the time when IBM's first real time on-line system was being developed. Fred believed in learning as much as he could, and always passing on the benefit of his experience and knowledge on to others. His first assignment was loading tape drives in the big machine room.  Next, as there was more real time processing, his work included Systems Design and Integration, and Systems Programming.

He then moved to "the field" and worked as both a Systems Engineer and Sales Representative, earning The Golden Circle and 100% Club Awards.  He helped establish The Hartford Application Marketing Center where he envisioned its growing role, planned curriculum and taught classes.

Later in his career he joined IBM Credit Corporation where he worked as a Senior Business Advisor supporting field Financial Marketing Advisors, and helping to clarify and simplify complex contracts.

In the mid 90' as a Senior Program Manager with IBM Global Financing he was responsible for marketing strategy and integrating communications. There, he developed the IGF Webcast Seminar Series which was an Internet based, worldwide distance learning and communication program. This opened up new ways of reaching out to employees and efficiently providing critical, current information to them at their desks.

In 2000 he retired from IBM and was recruited by GE Capital Corporation where he developed Vendor Financing programs to provide individually branded equipment financing to meet  each of the clients' needs.

While working full time Fred completed his 4 year undergraduate degree from the University of Bridgeport in 2001, and his MBA Marketing Degree from the Dolan School of Business at Fairfield University in 2004.

Fred enjoyed the interaction of man and machine and often described the rhythm one finds in a race car (a well set-up race car) as similar to the feeling he had when playing trombone in his jazz band, "the minus one jazz ensemble" as a teenager.  He had an encyclopedic knowledge cars, a discerning ear for tone and sound of different engine configurations, and a terrific ability to diagnose problems.  He was the SCCA 1972 North Atlantic Road Racing champion in his Austin Mini Cooper S.  Fred also went on to compete in the professional IMSA Camel GT series from 1973-1975, driving his own "Elifsen Racing" bmw 2002ti Alpina, and also driving a Schnitzer twin-cam powered BMW 2002 for Comer Racing, and Miller & Norburn.  After car racing Fred turned his attention towards his growing family, and also redirected his love of completion towards competitive sailing. In the late 1970's and early 1980's he crewed regularly on Thistles at Cedar Point Yacht Club, and also on IOR One Tonners.  Fred purchased a new J/24 in 1986, racing it regularly as a member of the one-design fleets at Noroton Y.C., and also at Fayerweather Y.C.

Fred was predeceased by his parents Eilif Miller and Hazel Miller. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Mary Clark Miller, and his children: Kristin Miller, and Jens Miller (Roxana Rezvani)

His siblings: Peter Miller (Karin Miller), Charlotte Miller (Rob Werge), Rebecca Wehrly (Steve Wehrly), Gayle Brody (Charles Brody), and Margaret Wolff (Tony Wolff).

His brother and sister in laws: Lois McGunegle (Brian McGunegle), Sara Lyons (Greg Lyons), Lucy Devore (Phil Devore), Elsa Clement (Ron Clement), Fred Clark (Sonju Clark), and Teri Mullen (Jon Mullen).

His nieces and nephews: Ed Miller, Kathy Smiley, Andrew Miller, Jose Canas, Thomas Werge, Ingrid Werge, Mark Brody, Caroline Brody, James Brody, Peter Brody, Kathryn Brody, Benjamin Wolff, Teddy Wolff, Sara Lombardo, Steven McGunegle, Jessie Sharich, Darcie Lyons, Alice Scott, Jayna Devore, Kelly Devore, Shawn Clement, Jamie Hastings, Travis Mullen, Clare McCarthy, Clark Mullen, Ezra Mullen, and Tara Mullen.

And 22 Great Nieces and Nephews.

The family welcomes donations to Habitat for Humanity as an expression of sympathy instead of flowers.