Leonard Miller's Obituary
Leonard Miller passed away peacefully on February 21st, 2014 surrounded by his devoted family. He was born on January 1, 1930 in Burlington, Vermont, where he resided with his parents, Bessie and Harry Miller, and his siblings, Paul, Sumner and Sybil. He graduated from the University of Vermont, then served in the Korean War. Lenny returned to marry his college sweetheart, Dr. Bernice (“Binky”) Berger Miller. Lenny and Binky moved to Miami, Florida in 1958. In 1959, Lenny and Binky’s brother, Ady Berger, started Pasadena Homes, a very successful partnership in residential developing. Their career as builders began with the construction of 5 homes that grew to communities of many thousands of homes, apartments, and condominiums throughout South Florida, including Pasadena Lakes, Pembroke Lakes, Pasadena Place, Mystique and Imagination Farms to name a few. Lenny and Ady remained partners for several decades until they retired after 40 years. Lenny was highly respected in the building industry where he obtained many top accolades, honors and posts. He was elected President of the Florida Home Builder’s Association and was selected to serve as a Presidential appointee to the National Board of Home Builders. His stellar reputation and business acumen resulted in his being asked to sit on many different boards. Lenny was fortunate to have two great loves in his life. He later fell in love with and married Carolyn Rosen Miller, a successful real estate broker in 1976. They remained very happily married until she predeceased him in 2006. Lenny is survived by his loving children, Robert Miller (and his wife Kathy) and Corinne Cott (and her husband Larry), and his step children, Joanne Rosen (and her wife Amy) and Laurie Riemer (and her husband Stephen). Lenny is also survived by his adoring grandchildren (who best know him as their “Zayde”), David, Eric, Steven and Nicole Miller, Alexandra Cott, Paul and Brian Riemer, Marina and Benjamin Rosen-Cappellazzo. Lenny was an integral part of the community. He was always very generous not only with his funds but in opening his home and heart to a variety of charities and cultural causes, including: the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, the Alzheimer Care committee, the United Way, Mount Sinai Hospital, The New World Symphony, Miami Jewish Home for the Elderly/Douglas Gardens, the Bass Museum, and State of Israel Bonds. Lenny and Carolyn also founded the Carolyn and Leonard Miller Center for Holocaust studies at the University of Vermont (UVM). In lieu of flowers, please make any donations to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation or the Carolyn and Leonard Miller Center for Holocaust studies at the University of Vermont at UVM. Services will be held on Monday, February 24, 2014, at noon at Temple Emanuel, 1701 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach. Arrangements by Blasberg-Rubin-Zilbert, 305-865-2353.
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