Professor David Miller
North A 1944-48
My father, David Miller, who died peacefully on 5 September 2025, always spoke of his years at The Leys as some of the happiest and most influential of his life.
Born in Tilehurst, Reading, on 16 September 1930, David grew up in the village of Mortimer with his two brothers. He won a scholarship to The Leys in 1942 and for his first three years was evacuated to Pitlochry. He loved his time there and would often recall long cycle rides, hill walking, climbing and swimming in the loch.
When The Leys returned to Cambridge, David completed his schooling there before being awarded an English-Speaking Union scholarship to the Peddie School in New Jersey. Ever adventurous, he took the opportunity to travel widely, visiting 30 American states by Greyhound bus.
In 1949, David went up to Clare College, Cambridge, where he read Medicine. He sang with the Cambridge University Musical Society, enjoyed punting on the Cam and formed many lifelong friendships before completing his medical training at St Thomas’ Hospital.
Following National Service in the Royal Air Force, David embarked upon the distinguished career in epidemiology that would define much of his life. After periods at Hammersmith Hospital, Colindale and the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health in Baltimore, he became an internationally recognised authority on acute respiratory infection.
In 1971, he was appointed the first Professor of Community Medicine in the University of London, at the Middlesex Hospital, where he established a pioneering academic department. In 1984, he moved to St Mary’s Hospital, once again building a thriving department and leading important work in infectious diseases and public health. He worked closely with the World Health Organisation and, even after retirement, continued teaching and advising colleagues around the world.
David’s love of classical music and his enthusiasm for playing the organ both began at school. He later served for many years as a governor of both The Leys and St Faith’s, while also giving more than half a century of service to the YMCA.
Above all, however, he was a devoted husband, father to Paul (West 1971-76), Alison, Richard (West 1975-80) and Andrew (West 1984-89) and grandfather to 10 grandchildren. He met our mother, Wendy, while he was a student in Cambridge, and together they enjoyed more than 70 years of happy marriage. His kindness, wisdom, curiosity and unwavering integrity shaped all our lives. David was loved and respected by his family and highly thought of by many friends and colleagues, as was illustrated by so many wonderful comments received after his death.
Words by Richard Miller