Cletus B. Miller, 96, Decatur, passed away Nov. 11, 2016, at his residence. He was born on the family farm May 25, 1920, the last of five children of the late John and Rose (Kurber) Miller. He attended St. Joseph Catholic School and Decatur Catholic High School in Decatur. After working at Mutschler Packing Company for three years, he then joined the U.S. Army Corps on Dec. 26, 1941. After basic training in Texas, he was sent to Washington D.C. for four months. He spent four weeks in Palm Beach, Fla., and was sent to Belem, Brazil, for 26 months with Air Transport Command. He returned to Miami, Fla. in September of 1944, where he was treated at the Army Hospital (the famous Biltmore Hotel before World War II and is once again the famous five diamond Biltmore Hotel) for Type-A Hepatitis. After hospitalization, he operated an Officers' Club in the Old Kellogg Institute in Coral Gables, Fla., which was secured by the Army. He became a sergeant on May 18, 1942, a staff sergeant on Nov. 1, 1942, and a technical sergeant in April of 1943. He was discharged Oct. 31, 1945, from Miami 36th Street Air Base in Florida. After working at the Knights of Columbus and Victory Bar in Decatur, he purchased Riverview Gardens on Dec. 1, 1947. He then sold it on Oct. 16, 1950, to take over Fairway Restaurant on Nov. 26, 1950. Incidentally, Riverview Gardens was a very successful venture for Clete, thanks to his hard work and dedication to detail. Clete worked very hard to create a most unusual restaurant in the Fairway and after making some necessary and fine additions, he had an open house for it on Dec. 12, 1954. He married Bette J. Drennen July 4, 1955, and they had two sons, John Matthew Miller, born Nov. 5, 1956, and Stephen Charles Miller, born Nov. 5, 1958. Clete's parents celebrated their 50th Wedding anniversary Oct. 16, 1955. The Fairway Restaurant was a very successful venture, thanks to Clete's hard work and ingenuity. He operated this restaurant until Jan. 1, 1976, when he then opened the Back 40 Junction, three blocks north of the original site. He had purchased three acres of land and built a restaurant, which resembled an old fashioned train depot, complete with a travel car and caboose near the front entrance. He filled the restaurant with antiques which drew interested people from miles around and they also enjoyed the delicious food. He then leased the restaurant to Azar Inc. in Ft. Wayne in 1982 and retired from active participation in the restaurant, but kept busy maintaining the antiques inside the building and the grounds outside. He sold the Back 40 to Azar Inc. in Dec. of 2003. Clete loved his wife Bette with all his heart and always stated she was the "best thing that ever happened to him." They had 52 years together before her passing on June 19, 2007. Among survivors are two sons, John Miller of Brownsburg and Stephen (Vicky) Miller of Queensbury, New York; grandchildren, Natayla and Matthew Miller; and several close family members and friends. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church. Officiating will be Fr. Bob J. Lengerich and burial will take place in the St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, with military graveside rites conducted by the American Legion Post 43 Color Guard. Visitation will be from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday in the St. Mary's Parish Hall, with a reciting of the Holy Rosary at 10:30 a.m. Arrangements by Haggard-Sefton & Hirschy Funeral Home. Preferred memorials may be made to St. Mary's Building on Our Heritage. Online condolences may be made at www.hshfuneralhome.com.