▁the ▁university ' s ▁football ▁stad ium , ▁Florida ▁Field , ▁and ▁supported ▁other ▁steps ▁to ▁place ▁the ▁University ▁Athlet ic ▁Association ▁on ▁a ▁stronger ▁financial ▁foot ing . ▁ ▁Miller ▁pres ided ▁over ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Florida ' s ▁cent enn ial ▁celebr ation ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁recogn izing ▁the ▁one - h undred th ▁anni versary ▁of ▁the ▁found ing ▁of ▁the ▁university ' s ▁oldest ▁prede cess or ▁institution , ▁the ▁East ▁Florida ▁Sem inary . ▁ ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁cent enn ial , ▁the ▁university ▁began ▁construction ▁of ▁Century ▁Tower , ▁the ▁icon ic ▁land mark ▁of ▁the ▁G aines ville ▁campus . ▁ ▁Death ▁and ▁legacy ▁▁ ▁Miller ▁died ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁He ▁was ▁ 5 4 ▁years ▁old . ▁ ▁He ▁had ▁felt ▁un well ▁for ▁several ▁days ▁before ▁the ▁Florida – Ge org ia ▁football ▁game , ▁and ▁decided ▁not ▁attend ▁the ▁game ▁in ▁Jackson ville . ▁ ▁While ▁watching ▁the ▁game ▁on ▁television , ▁Miller ▁experienced ▁physical ▁ill ness ▁and ▁was ▁taken ▁to ▁the ▁hospital . ▁ ▁He ▁died ▁seven ▁days ▁later ▁of ▁r he um atic ▁heart ▁disease . ▁ ▁Miller ▁was ▁surv ived ▁by ▁his ▁wife , ▁Nell ▁Crit zer ▁Miller , ▁and ▁their ▁two ▁sons , ▁including ▁J . ▁Hill is ▁Miller ▁Jr ., ▁who ▁became ▁a ▁prominent ▁American ▁professor ▁of ▁English ▁literature . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁day ▁of ▁his ▁on - camp us ▁fun eral ▁service ,