“Miller High Life, The Champagne of beers” and the tragic ending of Fred Miller and his son

On my recent visit to Calvary Cemetery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with beer opener, I paid my respects at the graves of Fred C. Miller, grandson of the founder of the Miller Brewing Company, and his son, Fred Jr.

Fred Miller was not only a prominent business leader but also a star athlete. He played football at Notre Dame University under the legendary coach Knute Rockne. Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 195 pounds, Miller was a formidable presence on the field. He earned All-America honours in 1927, and again in 1928, when he was named to the first team.

Fred C. Miller, Notre Dame University football star.

In 1947, Fred became president of the Miller Brewing Company. Under his leadership, the company—founded by his grandfather in 1855—experienced rapid growth. Through strategic advertising and facility expansion, he elevated Miller Brewing to one of the top breweries in the nation. By 1948, just a year after assuming the presidency, the company’s output had surged from 653,000 barrels in 1947 to over 3 million by April 1952.

Tragically, on December 17, 1954, Fred Miller, his son Fred Jr., and two pilots—who were brothers—died in a plane crash. The aircraft had taken off from General Mitchell Field in Milwaukee, en route to Winnipeg for a winter hunting trip, when it went down shortly after takeoff.

Frederick Charles Miller Sr., died December 17, 1954. He was only 48. Frederick C. Miller Jr. was 20.

1906-1954
1934-1954

Grave of Frederick John Miller, German-American and founder of Miller Brewing Co. (1855). Directly behind his grandson, Fred C. Miller’s monument.