Obituary of Jason E. Miller
Jason Eric Miller, 50, left this earth on October 6, 2024, after living for 2+ years with an aggressive form of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Jason was born November 19, 1973, in Somerville, New Jersey to loving parents, the late David and Maryann Miller, and grew up in Hillsborough, New Jersey, with his sister Marlena. An avid golfer, a Giants and Yankees fan, he also enjoyed a great steak, a late night out in Manhattan, concerts and Broadway shows, a good round of tennis, a splendid day down the Jersey Shore, and a Ketel One on the rocks – no fruit!
He was a graduate of Hillsborough High School in 1991 and went on to graduate with an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park, NY in 1996. He took pride in working in the New York City restaurant circuit over many years including Le Cirque, Picholine, and March and swiftly moved up the ladder learning all positions from back of the house to the front. At that time, he also developed a deep passion for wine and the many facets of building and sustaining robust food & beverage programs.
It was in Manhattan at the annual Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri awards walk-around wine tasting where he met Marie Christina Batich, who eventually became his fiancée and in just these last 3 years as he endured terminal illness, his loving primary caregiver.
He worked as Director of Hospitality in 2013 for PGA TOUR, Inc. – TPC Jasna Polana in Princeton, NJ and evolved his duties eventually becoming Assistant General Manager. He was extremely passionate about working there, blending his passion for the restaurant business, banquet services, and charitable golf outings. He was sad to have to stop working due to illness in 2022 and he was blessed to continue seeing and hearing from his crew and members from the club.
Jason gave great bear hugs and was the first to scoop up his nephews and carry them around as soon as he entered their house. It was challenging to see him lose motor neuron functionality leaving him only able to use eye gaze technology to communicate. He is freed from ALS now!
Jason is survived by his sister Marlena, her husband, Carlos Diaz-Cobo, and their fun-loving children Harrison and Carter, his nephews, along with his loving fiancée, Marie. He is preceded in death by his parents, David and Maryann.
A visitation will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Friday, October 11, 2024 from 3:00 to 7:00 PM. Donations to Team Gleason at and Joan Dancy Foundation are requested in lieu of flowers or gifts. For information, directions or to leave condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com