Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. of Maryland, the nation’s oldest state Senate president, died of cancer at age 78 on Friday, several media outlets reported.
The Democratic senator from the state of Maryland resigned on December 23, citing health problems. He stepped down as president of the state Senate in 2019 when he was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer, reports The Washington Post.
Upon resigning, his colleagues voted unanimously to award him the title of “President Emeritus of the Senate” in honor of his longstanding commitment to the state government, according to The Baltimore Sun.
#Smash Unfortunately, Mike Miller died. The oldest president of the Senate in the United States had prostate cancer. Mike Miller was 78 and left us after a lifetime of service in Maryland @wjz
– Denise Koch WJZ (@DeniseWJZ) January 15, 2021
The Prince George’s County native and a former student at the University of Maryland first ran for the House of Representatives in 1970. From there, he began a long career in the Annapolis government, which included a move to the state Senate in 1974.
In 1983, Miller was elected Chairman of the Legal Proceedings Committee – a role he held until he became president of the Maryland Senate in 1987, according to his website.
In an interview last year, Miller said he expected his legacy to be “doing the best he could, under the circumstances,” “having a reputation for honesty, frankness” and “hard work,” reports Sun.
Miller, described as an avid reader, especially on Maryland topics and the history of the Civil War, leaves his wife, Patti, a son, four daughters and 14 grandchildren.