A longtime Democratic state lawmaker who served two dozen years in the Ohio Legislature has passed away. Ray Miller passed away early Friday morning.
Miller served sixteen years in the Ohio House plus another eight in the Ohio Senate, where he was minority leader. But before he served there, he interned for Democratic former Gov. Dick Celeste before he became governor, when he was in the legislature.
“I was a freshman legislator, and he was a recent OSU graduate, and he came to the General Assembly, and he wanted to work for a member of the legislature," Celeste said in an interview. "Fortunately, Vern Riffe and A.G. Lancione pointed him in my direction. And I found myself with an intern who became a lot more than an intern."
Later, when Miller was in the legislature, he worked on key legislation which Celeste signed into law.
“I think probably the most important piece of legislation he carried on my behalf was our mental health reform, and he was a stalwart in that effort,” Celeste said.
Former state representative and now Franklin County Appeals Court Judge David Leland was the head of the Ohio Democratic Party during the 1990s, and also served in the legislature with Miller.
Leland remembers Miller as someone who stood up for marginalized Ohioans, starting a Head Start program for the state and helping people with drug and alcohol addiction problems. But Leland said Miller, who was a well-liked lawmaker, didn’t hesitate to speak out when a fellow lawmaker made a racist joke on the floor of the House.
“Some people would have just let it pass, but not Ray. He stood up right next to him. I was sitting right next to him. And he shot up and he stood up and he said, ‘hey look, we can’t be having racist jokes in the Ohio House of Representatives. I mean you can talk about a lot of issues and we can disagree on a lot of different things but I will not stand for racist jokes,'” Leland said.
That wasn’t the only time Miller called a fellow member out.
There was the time in May 2006 when Miller didn’t think Republican then-Sen. Jeff Jacobson's interpretation of history involving President Abraham Lincoln was on point. Miller and Jacobson went back and forth for a minute until Senate President Bill Harris stepped in and had Miller’s microphone cut. As the two lawmakers continued heated conversation, Harris called a recess.
Also remembering Miller is Sen. Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus), who said he “was a fierce fighter for justice.”
Craig said in an interview that fight for justice led to key legislation,like founding the Ohio Commission on Minority Health, something Craig said improved the lives of Black Ohioans. And Craig said years later, when he came along later in the legislature, he was able to shepherd funding through for that program.
But for Craig, Miller was more than a colleague who had gone before him. Craig said the they'd had known each other since seventh grade, going to school together and playing basketball. Craig called Miller one of his closest friends.
“I love him. I love him with all of my heart and I am grateful for his friendship," Craig said.
Miller leaves behind his wife Marty and his adult son Ray.
Details about funeral plans for Miller will be forthcoming and this story will be updated as information becomes available.
