William ìBillî R. Miller, Sr., 87, of Edneyville, passed away Friday, February 8, 2013 at Elizabeth House. A native of Pennsylvania, he lived in Henderson County since 1982. He was the son of the late George and Elizabeth Wyles Miller. He was also preceded in death by his first wife, Ruth Ann Miller in 1993, a sister, Marilyn Diamond in 2009, and a granddaughter, Jennifer Gancarz.
He was a boilermaker working in the mining industry, and was a member of the Brotherhood of Boilermakers in Pittburgh, PA, Local 1941 until 1990. He majored in Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Management. He worked with Federal Paper Board from 1982 through 1990, and was plant supervisor when he retired. Bill was a WWII Navy veteran, serving from April, 1942 through December, 1950. He was a master mason (June 1956), 32nd degree (November 1957), with Mercer Lodge AF & AM 50 Valley of Trenton Consistory. He was a member of the Hendersonville Shrine Club. In the 1940s he played football for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Survivors include his loving wife of sixteen years, Judy Halford Miller; four sons, William Robson Miller, II and his wife Debbie of Oakwood, OH, Kevin Miller and his wife Vickie of PA, Timothy Miller of Weaverville, Michael Miller and his wife Sherry of Norwood, NC; two daughters, Leah Ann Hadden of Spartanburg, SC, Evangeline Unerkoffler and her husband Jim of Selleresville, PA; two step-children, Debora Strickland and her husband Doug of Mountain Home, Danny Summey of Saluda; eleven grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews.
A funeral will be at 2:00pm Thursday in the Forest Lawn Funeral Home Chapel, conducted by Kedron Lodge #387 AF & AM. Interment will follow with Military Honors in Forest Lawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 pm prior to the service in the chapel.
Memorials may be made to Hendersonville Shrine Club, P.O. Box 1901, Hendersonville, NC 28793-1901.
