Judge Fred B. Miller, 54, elected to the county judicial bench a year ago, remained on the job until late August, when he began what became a medical leave of absence. health.

Miller’s relatives said Monday that the judge, while on leave, was diagnosed with cancer throughout his body, as revealed by surgery to repair a fractured femur. Until this diagnosis, they said Miller would have suffered from pain, but had no knowledge of his condition.

Judge died at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, where he had been receiving treatment for several weeks, after being transferred from a hospital in Hershey. Funeral plans were described as being under development.

Presiding Judge Wade A. Kagarise issued a statement early Monday on behalf of himself and fellow judges Jackie Bernard and David B. Consiglio, in addition to senior judges, magisterial district judges and county employees.

Blair County Judge Fred Miller takes the oath of office before Senior Judge Daniel J. Milliron (right), accompanied by his wife, Tracy Miller, and son, Grant Miller, in Courtroom No. 1 from the courthouse on December 29, 2023. Mirror archive photo by Patrick Waksmunski

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our colleague and friend, the Honorable Judge Fred B. Miller,” Kagarise said. “We extend our sincere condolences to his wife, Tracy, his son Grant, his entire family and the many members of the community who loved and respected him.”

Kagarise said he became aware of the seriousness of Miller’s condition as his leave was extended. The presiding judge said he last spoke to Miller a few weeks ago.

“I think he handled his illness with a lot of courage,” Kagarise said. “And like Judge Miller did with a lot of things, I think he handled this with his family in mind and how to support them… without any playbook on how this was going to happen.”

Chris Forshey of Bellwood said Monday that during his last conversation with Miller on Oct. 15, the judge wanted to hear from Forshey’s father, who was recovering from a liver transplant.

“I think that’s a testament to the kind of person Fred was,” Forshey said. “He seemed to only care about my father. And behind the scenes, he was battling his own serious health issues.

In 2023, Forshey led Miller’s campaign for the county judicial seat, a quest that Forshey said Miller was pursuing with the goal of winning not only for himself, but for others.

“He was saying ‘This campaign is for everyone’ … because he never aligned himself with anyone,” Forshey said. “He just wanted to do the job and do it right.”

Miller, a Tyrone native and Penn State Dickinson School of Law graduate, became a magisterial district judge in northern Blair County in 2002 when he was appointed to fill the vacant seat. Prior to this appointment, Miller practiced law and was a jurist.

Then, after his appointment, Miller was elected and re-elected several times to retain the position of district judge.

While Miller ran unsuccessfully in 2013 for a county judicial seat, his 2023 campaign was successful. In the 2023 primary, he secured nominations from Republican and Democratic voters who had a choice of three candidates. He also topped the Republican rankings.

While campaigning, Miller highlighted his proven track record as a district judge, as well as his longtime dedication to several community organizations. Notably, they oversaw a football program with more than 300 players and the Reliance Bank Holiday basketball tournament for more than 10 years. He was also involved with the County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Northern Blair Recreation Commission, Kiwanis of Northern Blair County and Jaffa Sanctuary.

“I think he was a true dedicated public servant,” Kagarise said. “The way he connected with the people he knew was a true tribute to his sense of community, his family and the broad support he received from his area. That was something I respected and admired about him.

In light of Miller’s death, his caseload and court cases will continue to be shared among Kagarise, Bernard and Consiglio, as well as senior judges from Blair and other counties.

While Blair County typically has five full-time judges, one position has been vacant since January because the governor’s office and Senate never appointed anyone to succeed former Judge Elizabeth Doyle, who lost her bid in November 2023.

It’s been nearly four decades since a Blair County judge died while in office. In 1987, Bertram Leopold, then a judge, 47, died of a heart attack after a morning swim at a local health club.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.