Dirk Warren Miller, AKA "Perk", 72, of Hobart, transitioned to eternal life on Sunday, December 16 where he was greeted by his parents, Harold and Dorothy (nee Brady); his big brother Trent; father and mother-in-law, Joseph and Helen Finoli; brother-in-law and partner in crime, Joe Finoli; close friend, Mike McGee; and beloved dog, Raven, as well as many friends and relatives.

Dirk was born on January 5, 1946 in Gary and was named for one of his mother's favorite radio soap opera characters.  He grew up in Gary on Kentucky Street and was a 1965 graduate of Emerson High School where he amassed a group of friends that he still met with weekly. He was also a member of the Indiana National Guard.

The day after graduation he began working at Calumet Welders, later Praxair, where he worked for 42 years prior to retiring in 2007.

On Good Friday 1969 he met the love of his life, Antoinette "Toni", whom he married on October 11, 1969 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Hobart.

Dirk was a proud, supportive, and loving father to his children, Carrie and Scott, who cherished attending their school activities, taking them on camping trips, and traveling on wine treks to Southwest Michigan, and adoring "Papa" to Grayson and Thayer, who relished rides on his golf cart, fun times at the family cottage where he rigged a tire swing and built them a tree house, and drinking his famous "Papa Juice", Wyler's fruit punch, that they often enjoyed together.

Dirk loved keeping a meticulous yard, vintage cars, sunsets, bird watching, antiquing, collecting beer caps and hats, building tables and signs from willow twigs, making wine, drinking Miller High Life, creating upcycled yard art, and fixing anything and everything.

He will be loved and missed dearly by his wife of 49 years, Toni; children, Carrie (Robert) Bedwell of Hobart, Scott (Kelly) Miller of Valparaiso; grandsons, Grayson and Thayer; his four-footed companion, Shelby and grand pups, Kyra, Hayley, Huck, and Henley; brother, Chad, sister-in-law, Mary Ann, and nephew, Brent; His sisters in-law, Sheila (Tom) Menear, Marissa (Joe) Eakins; nieces and nephews, Shawn (Jen) Menear, Amanda (Dan) Samuels, Brian (Angela) Menear, Shannon Menear, Craig Menear, Alba Finoli, and Joe Lazur and many great nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held at Rees Funeral Home, 600 W. Old Ridge Rd. Hobart, IN 46342 from 2 to 7 pm with a service at 7 pm on Friday, December 21, 2018. At Dirk's request, please dress casually.  Additionally, friends are invited to join his family to celebrate a life well-lived on Saturday, January 5 at the Izaak Walton, Miller Chapter, in Portage, from 2-7 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to the Hobart Humane Society, 2054 E. State Rd. 130, Hobart, IN 46342; St. Jude Children's Hospital, PO Box 1000 Dept. 142 Memphis, TN 38101-9908; or the Jimmy V. Foundation, 14600 Weston Parkway, Cary, NC 27513.