Retired Chief Petty Officer Oscar Maynard "Dusty" Miller Sr.

Retired Chief Petty Officer Oscar Maynard "Dusty" Miller Sr. 
Age 61 Years of #18 Kenya Avenue, Flamingo Gardens sailed his final tour of duty, 
at the Princess Margaret Hospital on Tuesday, December 03, 2013.

Dusty was born at Hatchet Bay Eleuthera, The Bahamas on Friday, September 12, 1952. 
Maynard grew up to be a respectable young man in the community. His mother and grandmother 
instilled in him Christian principles. He attended the Hatchet Bay all age school now called the 
P. A. Gibson all age School. As his mother, the late Hildred Miller left home to be with her husband 
the late Ivan Miller, she left Maynard in the care of his grandmother, the late Remona Albena Dean.

As a young man growing up in his home town it was a delight to see him 
giving stern warnings and advice to many he came in contact with as he 
thought they were headed in the wrong direction. Maynard was an avid 
softball player and could play any of the infield positions including pitching or catching. 
He became one of the original Hatchet Bay Bullets. This team comprised 
of Bernis "Jakes" Ranger, The Rev. Carl Pinder, The Rev. Lambert Farrington, 
Clifford "Butch" Scavella, Reid "Sun" Kemp, Steve Stubbs, and others.

Maynard was desirous of travelling to Nassau and joining the Marine division 
of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and in 1970's he left home for Nassau 
to become a member of the Force. This Marine Division had the task of 
eradicating the escalating flow of narcotics and illegal immigrants and 
was under the able leadership of Assistant Commissioner Lawrence Major 
and his second in command was Deputy Superintendent Leon Smith.

This Marine Division totaled some sixty-eight (68) men one of which was Oscar Maynard Miller, 
at the time a constable. In 1976 The Ministry of Defense was formed but the act was not ratified 
until 1979 and in September of '79' Princess Ann with her husband captain Mark Phillips 
visited the Bahamas Defense Base and unveiled a plaque designating the base as: 
"Her Majesty's Bahamian Ship Coral Harbour," and officially conferred the title 'Royal' on the force, 
making it known thereafter as The Royal Bahamas Defense Force.

Maynard continued his softball prowess and became a member of the Defense Force softball team. 
Never one to run from base to base but was always seen to be sliding from base to base and always 
came up dirty, brushing the dust away, hence the title "Dusty" was conferred on him and today 
he is still affectionately called "Dusty".

Maynard cared for his hometown boys and would invite any of them to stay at his residence 
if they needed a place to crash until it was time to head home to Hatchet Bay. This was during 
the years living in Oakes Field and a relationship was forged between the home boys as Maynard's 
residence became a meeting place. It was at this time the Hatchet Bay Development Association was born.

Maynard Miller, Reid Kemp, Carl Pinder, {Spence Pinder, Davy Clarke both deceased},
 Dencil Clarke, Sammy Arthur, John Kemp, Spurgeon Johnson, Eurick Dean, Wayne Miller, 
Alvin Smith and others were all founding members. As a result of this Association, Wayne Miller, 
his brother became the first President, Carl Pinder Vice President, Audrea Scavella Secretary, 
Spurgeon Johnson Treasurer and lo and behold the now famous "Bay Festival" was born. 
Maynard was also instrumental in the renaming of the Hatchet Bay All Age School to the 
now P. A. Gibson Primary School.

The Flamingo Incident, also known as the Cuban Incident or the sinking of HMBS Flamingo, 
occurred on Saturday, May 10, 1980 six weeks after the force's official establishment. 
The brave survivors, one of which was Oscar Maynard Miller, through numerous interviews 
recall how they were still picking melting steel from their skin and hair many months later 
from the rocket blast. They unanimously agree that the traumatic happenings were a frightful 
reminder of the frailty of life and the dangers associated with the career they had chosen.

In 2001, Chief Petty Officer Oscar Maynard Miller retired from the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, 
after being presented with Traumatic Service and Purple Heart medals.

Oscar is preceded in death by his:
Father: Ivan Earl Miller;
Mother: Hildred Albena Dean-Miller;
Sister: Murma-Gayle Miller;
Grandfather: George Henry Dean;
Grandmother: Ramona Curlene Bethel-Dean;
Great Grandfather: Anthony Dean;
Great Grandmothers: Julia Sands-Dean and Albena Bethel;
Uncles: Ronald Livingston, Wendell Verona I, Hayward Laclane and George Audley Dean;
Aunts: Ruth Louise Kemp-Dean, Eleanor Irene, Remilda Louise and Dora Christina Jones-Dean;            

The Radiance of this "Sapphire A Gem" will always glow in the hearts of his:
Wife: Denise Clarice Miller;
One Son: Oscar Jr.;
Five Daughters: Destiny Miller, Jaime Strachan, Faleesha Rolle-Paige, 
Darcia Culmer and Shaska Pugh Munroe;
Three Grandsons: Jurantaé, Jason Jr. and Jadon Munroe;
Two Granddaughters: Janajá and Jade Munroe;
One Brother: Wayne Alsworth Miller;
One Sister: Jenny-Mae Kemp;
Six Nephews: Gaius Miller, Reubendero, Damion, Jerome, Javis and Julius Jr.;
Twenty Nieces: Dasha and Sonovia Johnson, D'Ondre, Devonnia and Danielle Miller, 
WPC 3411 Reubiann Gibson, Valza, Yaleria, Valencia, Jemisha, Kadisha, Samantha, Lashanda, 
Julianna, Juliette, Latoysa Walkes, Tealeh, Lacreqsha, Dawn and Allison;
Three Uncles: Anthony {Tony}, S. Campbell {Sugar Boy} and Nathaniel {Skipper D} Dean;
Nine Aunts: Remanda Goodman, Edith Hanna, Bertha, Vernita and Linda Dean, Joan Sands, 
Glensworth Strachan, Nicole Brown and Deborah Colebrook;
Cousins: Vernell Harmon of Norfolk, Virginia, Carolyn Correa, Mattie McDonald of Miami, Florida, 
Delma Miller and Patricia Dean of Freeport, Grand Bahama, Laclane and Larry Sr. and Randy Sr. 
of Hatchet Bay, Marvin of Hollywood, Florida, Melpert, Wendell G. II, Dwaling D. O. I, 
Aubrey of Miami, Florida, Retired Police Sergeant 977 Audley {Patterson}, Vincent, 
Elizabeth of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Yvette, Police Corporal 1995 Cletis George, 
Shadrach {Dino} Jr., Keno, Tammy, Stacy, Sabrina, Chrislyn {Christy}, Prisca {Trennie}, 
Nathania, Nathan, Eurick, Brent, Gavin and Dean, Doreth C. Dean-Campbell, Gillian Bethel, 
Deborah Mitchell, Shain Wilkinson, Charmaine Odom, Marva {Bonnie} Dorsette, Giavanna Smith, 
Juanita Albury, Wendy Wicker, Terry, Dereck and Gilwithney Hanna, Keith Harris, 
Oswald Goodman Jr. of Atlanta Georgia, Shona-Lee Griffin, Robert Wilson and Kenva Minnis;
Father-in-law: Earl Thurston;
Mother-in-law: Norma Babbs;
One Son-in-law: Jason Munroe Sr.;
Six Brothers-in-law: Roger Smith, Darius Morley, Darin Babbs, Bruno Bowles, 
Errol, Aaron and Harold Thurston;
Seven Sisters-in-law: Murine Miller, Theresa and Joy Evans, Marcia Rolle, 
Kelly, Michelle and Keishell Thurston;
Other loving family and friends including: Retired Commodores Leon Smith, 
Davy Rolle and Clifford Scavella, Perry Wood, Steven Stubbs, La-Shann Strachan, George Pintard, 
Kimble and Lennis Wood Sr., Chucky Smith, Kendrick Sands, Randal Barry, Lloyd Bowleg, 
J. P. King, Kevin Seymour, Anthony Francis, Archie and Eric Rolle, Peter and Ricky Carey, 
James, Kishan and Alma Munroe, Glen Stuart, Blen Gibson, Carlos Adderley, Phillip Lockhart, 
Randal Swaby, Rodney Newbold, Clint Clarke, Lawrance Pratt, Birb and Ken Scavella, Edwin Turner, 
Paul Miller, Anthony Hanna, Leroy Whylly, Issac Johnson, Shekera Daxon and their families, 
the Kenya Avenue Flamingo Gardens, White, Butterfield and Frazer familes, Hatchet Bay 
Eleuthera Community, the Mud and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.
HMBS Flamingo Survivors: Retired Senior Commodore Amos Rolle, Senior Lt. Anthony Allens, 
P. O. Peterson James, L/M Dencil Clarke, M/M Eugene Thompson, L/M Gregory Curry, 
M/S Whitfield Neely, M/S Anthony K. Russell, M/S Leo Kirby, M/S John Wallace, M/S Cladwell Farrington, 
L/S Willard Saunders, A/B Trevor Sands and S/Lt. Wilfred Sands "deceased".
Special Thanks to: Commodore Roderick Bowe and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, 
The Staff of Atlantis Laundry and RIU Kitchen Staff.