CLEVELAND — By all accounts, Canton resident Donald Miller, who passed away earlier this month, was a kind man, a pillar in his community, and a loving husband, father and grandfather. He was also a true Browns fan until the end.
“Donald Keith Miller passed away peacefully on Oct. 10, 2019 at the Cleveland Clinic’s Hospice Care Center,” his obituary begins. “At the time, the Browns were 2-3. There is some comfort in knowing he won’t have to endure the rest of the season.”
Browns fans can no doubt relate to that sentiment.
Jeff Sayoc, a lifelong friend of Miller's, said that Miller's daughter wrote the obituary, probably after she talked to his brother.
Twitter user McNeil (@Reflog_18) shared a picture of the obituary in the Canton Repository that a friend had texted to him.
This obit. 👀 pic.twitter.com/45PIDGyWIY
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) October 24, 2019
McNeil said seeing the obit was a “Spit out my coffee moment.”
His tweet quickly went viral, with Browns fans offering condolences and wisecracks.
Don was the wittiest person I knew. He’s missed dearly by many. Thanks for posting this. https://t.co/CbUXsCO8KM
— J Say Hey (@JSayHey) October 25, 2019
Surprised he didnt want the Browns to be pallbearers, so that he can be let down one last time.
— One for udar C (@OneforthreeC1) October 24, 2019
Sayoc didn't have a chance to check out his friend's obituary in the paper, but said when he saw it was tweeted by McNeil, he "just laughed."
Miller's love of the Browns survived the last 20 years, with "a lot of heartache along the way," Sayoc said.
McNeil, who is himself an online Browns contributor with a massive Twitter presence, can relate to the posthumous shot at the team.
“The Browns may be far from perfect- but Browns fans remain undefeated,” McNeil said. “Even in death."
When asked whether he would use his own obituary to express his complicated relationship with the Browns, McNeil said: “Why not? I’ll probably troll the Browns that I made it to the promised land before they ever did.”
Seeing Miller's obituary prompted Sayoc to discuss it with his wife. Although his wife vowed not to let him write his own obituary, if he could, he would include: "Jeff is out of this world, but the Browns certainly are not."
No matter how the season turns out, one hopes Miller is enjoying the excitement from the Dawg Pound in the sky.
