The first Springfield native to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court has passed away. Justice Benjamin K. Miller was 87 and passed on Sunday at Springfield Memorial Hospital.
He served on the Supreme Court from 1984 to 2001 and was Chief Justice from 1991 to 1993. Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis said, “He provided steady leadership and moved the courts forward in a profound way. She added, “He was always looking to the future and for ways to improve the court system.”
Miller was a Springfield High School graduate and went on to receive his degree from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and then his law degree from Vanderbilt University. Miller also served in the Army and Navy Reserves in the 1960s.
He was active in the Springfield community and served terms as the president of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce and the Springfield Mental Health Association in addition to serving on the board of ARC and the Springfield-Sangamon County Youth Service Bureau.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, March 23, from 1-2:45 p.m. with a funeral to follow at 3 p.m. Services will be held at Butler Funeral Home, 900 S. Sixth Street in Springfield.
Official announcement from Illinois Supreme Court: Former Chief Justice Benjamin Miller 1936-2024