Zachary E. Miller

Zachary E. Miller, age 26, of Columbus, Ohio, formerly of Greenville, passed away on Monday, August 3, 2026, at his home.

He was born in Greenville on October 23, 1999, and was the son of Ashley (Welbourn) and Dustin Leis of Greenville, and Mark and Tammy Miller of Union City, Indiana.

In addition to his parents Zachary is survived by his brother, Joshua Leis of Greenville; his stepbrother, Michael Tennery of Zionsville, Indiana; his stepsister, Sarah (Michael) Lloyd of Brownsburg, Indiana; his nephew, Liam Lloyd; his grandparents, Delores Miller of Union City, Indiana, John and Jimmie Welbourn of Union City, Ohio, Don and Barb Leis of Greenville; his aunts and uncles, Robert (Selina) Miller of Union City, Indiana, John (Susan) Fraze of Union City, Indiana, Billie (Wade) Hunt of Union City, Ohio, Jonnie (Cody) Meyer of Union City, Ohio, Darrell (Karen) Leis of Greenville, and Kim (Tim) Anderson of Arcanum; his great aunt, Martha Miller-Mathias of Union City, Indiana; and numerous cousins and friends.

Zachary was preceded in death by his grandfather, Robert Miller; and his great grandparents, Ralph and Gladys Welbourn.

If you knew Zachary, you knew that if there was something to be learned, he was eager to learn it. His lifelong pursuit of knowledge was one of the qualities that defined him.

Zachary began his education at DeColores Montessori School in Greenville before attending Greenville High School, graduating in 2018. Never one to settle for the ordinary, he also earned his associate’s degree from Edison State Community College while still in high school. During those years, he enjoyed playing the piano, performing with the orchestra, and played soccer and tennis.

That fall, Zachary enrolled at The Ohio State University, where he majored in Molecular Genetics with minors in Epidemiology and Microbiology. As an undergraduate, he was actively involved in the First Aid Club, the Molecular Genetics Club, and Helix Tri-Beta, the biological sciences honor society. He graduated summa cum laude in 2022.

For Zachary, graduation was never the finish line, it was simply the next step. He continued at Ohio State in the Biomedical Sciences graduate program and was pursuing his Ph.D. in Immunology and Immunotherapeutics. After completing his doctoral candidacy in 2025, he was on track to earn his Ph.D. in 2027. Zachary conducted research in the prestigious Mora-Rojas Lab at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center's Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, where his work focused on natural killer (NK) cells in the lungs, particularly their role in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Most recently, he was inducted into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline honor society, and proudly served on The Ohio State University's Council of Graduate Students.

Outside of the classroom and laboratory, Zachary found peace under the night sky. He loved stargazing and photographing the stars and moon. He enjoyed gaming with friends and putting his creativity to work through his laser engraver and 3D printer, always eager to build, create, and discover something new.

As accomplished as Zachary was, his greatest priority was never found in a classroom or laboratory: it was his family. No matter how busy life became, he always made time for those he loved. Whether supporting his siblings, spending time with his cousins, or simply showing up when someone needed him, Zachary's kindness and generosity never wavered. He had a true heart for helping others and made the lives of those around him better. His intelligence was remarkable, but it was his compassion, humility, and unwavering love for his family and friends that will be remembered most.

A celebration of Zachary’s life will be held at 3:00 PM, Saturday, August 8, 2026, at Tribute Funeral Homes, with Pastor Wes Lynch officiating. Burial will follow in Union City Cemetery.

Guests may visit with Zachary’s family on Saturday from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM, at the funeral home.

To continue Zachary’s legacy, the family request that memorial contributions be made payable to the Darke County Foundation for the Zachary Miller Scholarship Fund at P.O. Box 438, Greenville, OH 45331, or online at https://darke.fcsuite.com/erp/donate. 

The family encourages memories and online condolences to be shared at www.tributefuneralhomes.com