Les Miller, 1962-2019

Leslie ‘Les’ Miller was born on September 3, 1962, in Crescent City, California. Raised in Crescent City all of his life, Les also passed away in Crescent City on April 9, 2019, at the age of 56.

I’m still reeling from the shock.

While I didn’t know Les very well back in the day, I do remember him as ‘that kid with the goofy smile, who is always cracking jokes,’ when we were in high school. He graduated from Del Norte High in 1980, a couple of years after me.

Later, he worked at Glenn’s Bakery as a baker and short-order cook. I also learned that Les had a hand in building several structures over the years including Pelican Bay State Prison.

But what Les was best known for were his magnificent wood cravings. To be clear, these weren’t ordinary carvings using chisels and such – no, Les used a chainsaw – from start to finish and he became pretty well-known across the U.S. for his craftsmanship.

We reconnected a few years ago through Facebook, sharing many of the same political views and recollections of Del Norte County as it was when were both kids. Les’ passing has left a hole in the hearts of many people, including mine.