Patrick Allen Miller
On December 31st, 2020, we lost Patrick Allen Miller (“The Hammer”), husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend to many, from complications due to asbestosis during open-heart surgery. He was a resident of Santa Barbara, CA for the past 20 years.
Pat was born in Bakersfield, California on July 25, 1953. He served in the Navy, including a deployment in Vietnam, from 1970 until his honorable discharge in 1972 It was in the Navy where he trained as a machinist, a calling that he would pursue for most of his adult life. For nearly the last two decades he served as the in-house machinist at Asylum Research, a scientific instrument company in Santa Barbara. He not only loved creating intricate microscope parts for his job, he revered in making exquisite pieces for his own enjoyment like parts for his motorcycles, homemade chess pieces, and even funny little gadgets just for laughs. He passed on his extensive knowledge to the next generation while serving as a mentor at the Engineering Academy at Dos Pueblos High School, Santa Barbara.
During a brief hiatus from machining in the late 70s and early 80s, Pat owned Escondido Cycle Supply where his work embraced his life-long passion of motorcycles. He raced dirt bikes in District 38 in San Diego county and continued to ride recreationally throughout his life. Motorcycles, and later, his brightly colored orange Manx, were the vehicles that carried him to the wide-open desert spaces in the US Southwest and Baja Mexico he so enjoyed. Every time he pulled up to a stunning viewpoint he would exclaim, “look where we are!”
No motorcycle trip was complete without a craft beer and Pat was a true beer aficionado who loved both making it and enjoying it with friends. He was a certified beer judge at many county fairs and his “Hammer IPA” recipe can still be found on tap at select international breweries. He loved watching the explosion of craft brewing and attended many homebrew festivals with friends and family.
It was common to see a smiling Pat at the local gun range or a blues concert. He was an avid gun collector and a long-time member of the Winchester Canyon Gun Club. Music soothed Pat’s soul, especially oldies, rock-n-roll and the blues. He was a member of the Santa Barbara Blues Society, attending many monthly concerts with his wife Debbie. He was, and she remains, an active member of Hope Community Church.
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Pat was a gentle, kind and humorous man with a huge heart who generously donated to several causes that were important to him, including charities for veterans. The many of us who loved him will miss him greatly.
Pat was preceded in death by his parents Cavett Miller and Jean Combs of Bakersfield, CA . He is survived by Deborah Miller (wife); Chrystal Allen (daughter) and Elizabeth Allen (grand-daughter); Mike Allen (son) and wife Stacy, and Riley and Emma Allen (grandchildren); Cavett “Mike” Miller (brother) and wife Terri; Wendy Mecum (niece) and husband Ron; Wyatt Miller (nephew); and Denise “Deni” Miller (sister) and partner Jason Cleveland.