[Keith Norrington]

Robert L. Miller, longtime river enthusiast and steamboat buff from Keokuk, Iowa, passed away at age 83 on October 2nd at Quincy, Illinois. Bob caught the "steamboat bug" at an early age and made trips on the GOLDEN EAGLE, GORDON C. GREENE, Streckfus excursion boats, the Str. AVALON and various towboats. He was aboard the sternwheel towboat MARK TWAIN for the dedication ceremonies of the Chain of Rocks Canal and Locks above St. Louis in the early 1950's. Bob was the Upper Mississippi correspondent for The Waterways Journal for over 50 years and was instrumental in bringing the steam towboat GEO. M. VERITY to Keokuk in 1960 as a museum. After retirement from his job as traffic manager for the Hubinger Company, Bob served as curator of the riverboat museum aboard the VERITY for 20 years, retiring again in 1997. Towboat crews going through Lock and Dam #19 at Keokuk will undoubtedly remember Bob often being there with a totebag to take mail to the post office and to do other good deeds and errands. Bob also was a longtime member of The Midwest Riverboat Buffs -- from its inception in 1972 -- who will be holding their annual fall meeting at Keokuk this coming weekend. Bob and his wife, Margaret, who passed on several years ago, were very kindly, true river people and always happy to give. A long whistle salute in their memory.