Bryce Miller

Bryce Miller
Bryce Miller, 77, Topeka, a long-time advocate for mental health issues and programs, died Tuesday, March 3, 2009, at Midland Hospice House.
Bryce was born May 30, 1931, in Beatrice, Neb., to Arthur and Ethel Miller. He graduated from McPherson College with bachelor's degrees in mathematics, physics and business administration. He graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering. He served in the U.S. Army Reserves.
He worked as an engineer for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. and Bell Telephone Laboratories in New Jersey. He later returned to Kansas and worked for the Kansas Department of Human Resources as a management analyst. He retired in 1993.
Bryce was a long-time volunteer and mental health advocate, working at local, state and national levels.
He was a co-founder of Breakthrough House and was a current member of the Breakthrough board.
He was chairman of the Topeka State Hospital Cemetery Project to bring lasting dignity to those buried in unmarked graves at the former hospital grounds. Through the efforts and generosity of many people, a monument was placed at the cemetery in 2006 listing all the names of 1,157 patients buried there.
Bryce was a former board member of Shawnee Community Mental Health Center (now Valeo) and was honored when the Valeo Community Support Building at 2401 S.W. 6th was named in his honor for his community support and advocacy given to consumers.
Bryce was involved in many legislative advocacy projects at the state and national levels, the most recent being the promotion of the Geriatric Mental Health Act, which he hoped would result in improved and timely mental health programs for older adults in Kansas.
He was a former president of the Mental Health Associations of Shawnee County and Kansas, the Depression and Bi-Polar Support Alliances of Topeka and Kansas, and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill-Topeka. He was a former board member for NAMI-Kansas and also served on the national NAMI board.
Bryce was a member of the Governor's Mental Health Planning Council and served on the Kansas Mental Health and Aging Coalition. He was a charter member of the national Older Adult Consumers Mental Health Alliance.
Bryce received a number of honors for his mental health advocacy work, including the Lionel Aldridge Award for Exemplary Consumer Leadership, the highest consumer award given by NAMI, presented to him in 2002 at the national NAMI convention.
He was a former commissioner of the Kansas State Employees, Health Benefit Commission. He was a member of Crestview United Methodist Church.
Bryce married Frances Hall on Dec. 16, 1951, in Stet, Mo. She survives.
Other survivors include two daughters, Cheryl Roberts and husband, Ron, Shawnee; and Anita Fry and husband, Steve, Topeka; three grandchildren, Keith Culver, Scottsdale, Ariz., and Andy Fry and Meredith Fry, Topeka; a sister, Sybil Keim and husband, Bob, Tucson, Ariz.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Crestview United Methodist Church. Inurnment will be at New Hope Cemetery, Stet, MO.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the mental health organization of the donor's choice or to the Crestview United Methodist Church, 2245 S.W. Eveningside Dr., Topeka, KS 66614. Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel is in charge of arrangements.