John “Jack” D. Miller, 90, of Malone was a retired state trooper with a love of driving; a supportive father, grandfather and great-grandfather and a hockey enthusiast, his daughter said.

Miller was reported missing on Sept. 18 after he drove away from his home in Malone.

On Saturday, two hunters were traveling on an ATV trail on the first day of the muzzleloader deer hunting season when they saw a Subaru Forester matching the description of Miller’s vehicle. They contacted New York State Police, troopers searched the area and found Miller deceased.

“There were no signs of foul play or anything suspicious observed at the scene,” according to a news release from the Malone Police Department.

Jack Miller as a young state trooper in 1960. (Provided photo)

An autopsy to determine Miller’s official cause of death is being scheduled, according to police.

“The Malone Police Department would like to give the family and friends of John ‘Jack’ Miller our condolences and would like to thank the many people who assisted in the search to include the (NYSP), Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the state Environmental Conservation Police and Forest Rangers,” members of the MPD said in the statement.

Miller’s eldest daughter, Karen Carre, of Malone said he had left for a drive last month. Driving was something he enjoyed.

“He was a retired trooper, so hitting the road was something he loved to do,” she said. “He loved traveling down that way. … He left doing what he loved.”

Carre thanked the officers who looked for her father. She said they searched well.

His car was found “off the beaten path” on a road to a long-vacant cabin he liked to visit. Carre doesn’t know of any personal or historic attachment he may have had to the cabin, which has a sign saying “Grampy’s Cabin” in front of it.

“It just struck his fancy,” she said. “He just thought it was neat.”

Miller leaves behind a wife, five children, four grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

Carre said he was a supportive father in whatever their interests were. Miller came from a broken home, which was unusual at that time, so he poured his involvement into his five children’s academics, sports and activities.

She said he always attended all of his grandson’s baseball games.

Miller grew up in New Jersey. Carre said his work promotions kept him traveling north until he couldn’t go any further — at least, while staying the the U.S.

He and his wife Sally made Malone their home.

Miller was the first sergeant for NYSP Troop B, Carre said. He worked through the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, when the NYSP headquarters moved from Malone to Ray Brook.

After the excitement of the Games died down, and he was making the long commute to Ray Brook every day, he took retirement in his 40s and ran the local recreation park in Malone.

Miller learned to ice skate in Saranac Lake when he lived here in the early 1960s. He fell in love with hockey, playing, coaching and growing the game. Carre said he was instrumental the getting the Malone Civic Center built so they did not have to skate outdoors.

He became a realtor and ran J.D. Miller Properties for many years in Malone.

Carre remembers their annual family vacations when all the kids would pile into a station wagon with the family dog, Miller would drive them to New Jersey to visit their grandparents’ farm, and then he’d return to Malone to do major home repairs for two weeks.

He also taught them all good skills and a good work ethic, she said. He often would grab one of them to help fix an appliance, hold a board or paint a wall at their big house on Park Street.

Carre chuckles when she remembers standing in the driveway with the car packed as she prepared to leave for college and seeing her father waiting for a dishwasher delivery.

“‘Now that Karen’s leaving, we need a dishwasher,'” he said.

Her little brother said when he left, they got a log-splitter.

Carre said the community has been very supportive of her and her family in recent weeks.

“We are broken hearted but relieved the search is over,” Carre’s sister and Miller’s daughter, Beth Miller Mahoney, wrote on Facebook. “Jack left us on his own terms doing what he loved and brought NYSP Troop B out in force on his last adventure. We are humbled by the many people — both friends and strangers who helped us in our search, traveled 1,000’s of miles of trails and roads. We appreciate all the prayers and positive vibes sent our way this past month.”

Carre said funeral services will be planned in the near future.