Walter Dale Miller, the 29th Governor of South Dakota, passed away last night. Miller who was 89, served as governor from 1993 to 1995.
Miller was born Oct. 5, 1925, near Viewfield, South Dakota, and spent his life on his family’s ranch. He served for 20 years in the South Dakota House of Representatives, and is the only person in state history to serve as speaker of the house, speaker pro tempore, majority leader, assistant majority leader and majority whip.
Miller was elected lieutenant governor in 1986 and was South Dakota’s first full-time lieutenant governor. He succeeded to the governorship in 1993 after the tragic loss of Governor George S. Mickelson and seven others in a plane crash.
Janelle Toman of Pierre was press secretary to Governor Mickelson, and also Governor Miller. She says Miller just finished an important trip……………
Toman says Miller’s steady hand was especially needed after the death of Mickelson………
Toman says Miller was a special public servant……
from the archives:
Then Lieutenant Governor Walter Dale Miller ascended to the Governor’s office in April of 1993 when he took the oath of office following the death of George S. Mickelson: …
Miller served until 1994 when former Governor Bill Janklow defeated him in a Republican primary race, a contest that saw plenty of fireworks between both men including this radio debate encounter where the fire brand Janklow took on Miller of his handling of a prison riot at the state penitentiary……
Governor Dennis Daugaard requests that all flags in South Dakota fly at half-staff, effective immediately, and continuing until Gov. Miller’s interment.
