By GAYLE WEBER

gweber@dailynews.net

Darrel and Ruth Miller set out in 1958 to try to make a living, publish a good newspaper, help their community and shed some light on what was needed in the community.

Forty years later, Darrel Miller has been honored by the Kansas Press Association, becoming the latest member of the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame.

The Millers owned and operated the Smith County Pioneer, Downs News, Lebanon Times and Cawker City Ledger in their careers.

In the hall of fame, Miller joins some of his oldest friends in the industry and colleagues he admired including Karl Gaston, Howard Kessinger and Webster Hawkins.

"It's good to be included with them," Darrel Miller said.

Kessinger, who was at Kansas State University with Darrel Miller, said he always admired Miller for his steadfastness.

"You never had to guess what he was writing about," said Kessinger, publisher of the Marysville Advocate. "He was very definite in his opinions."

Kessinger said Darrel and Ruth Miller worked well together, balancing each other.

"Darrel could be kind of rough, and I think she was a little more diplomatic about things," Kessinger said.

The Millers always were partners in their business. Darrel Miller spent most of his time as publisher at the Pioneer while Ruth ran the Downs News and supervised the couple's two smaller holdings.

Miller served as KPA president in 2002-03 and received the Clyde M. Reed Jr. Master Editor Award in 2004.

Miller has written and published five books and is working on his sixth about Kansas newspapers destroyed by mobs during the Bleeding Kansas and Civil War eras.

After serving one-third of a century at the Pioneer, Darrel Miller said there are a lot of memories and good people he'll remember.

"I just remember the good people that supported, subscribed and read our paper," Miller said.

Although some of those people complained sometimes, Miller said the complaints were needed once in a while to keep the paper on the right track.

Today's industry, though, has Miller a little worried.

"One of the sad things has been to see the towns get smaller," Miller said. "Newspapers depend on ad dollars. When businesses close and people shop out of town, it's been hard on newspapers."