William P. Miller, 91
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — William Patrick "Bing" Miller, 91, of 185 Brown St. died peacefully on Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in the company of his family.
Born in Pittsfield on March 31, 1924, the son of Ralph and Helen V. Street Miller, he graduated from St. Joseph's High in 1941 and attended St. Bonaventure College.
An Army veteran of World War II, he left college to enlist when the war broke out. He served with Gen. Patton's 3rd Army in an artillery battalion in France, Belgium and Germany from 1943-45. He proudly served and was the recipient of the Bronze Star for meritorious service, outstanding leadership and devotion to his country.
Mr. Miller was employed by the former General Electric for 38 years, retiring in 1985.
A communicant of St. Charles's Church, he had been a longtime parishioner of the former St. Mary of the Morningstar Church.
He loved all sports, especially his New York Yankees. He played golf, baseball with the Tyler Aces and softball with the Morningside league. Very active in youth sports in Pittsfield, he coached Babe Ruth for 15 years and was a respected basketball official in Berkshire County for 45 years. He was a past president of the Basketball Officials Association.
Mr. Miller received numerous awards over the years, including an International Association of
Approved Basketball Officials award for 50 years of service to Berkshire County basketball and the Phillip Bruno Award for outstanding work for the youth of the city. He was inducted into the Pittsfield Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. He was also was a member of the Berkshire County Deputy Sheriffs Association in the 1970s and '80s.
He was a man known for his friendship, kindness, and integrity to the very end. He was a devoted family man who was the anchor of his family. He loved his family vacations at Hampton Beach for the past 55 years. Always a gentleman, he was a fine, decent man who was also loved by many friends and neighbors.
He leaves his wife, the former Evelyn R. Greenleaf, with whom he shared 67 wonderful years of marriage; a daughter, Helen Kirchner and her husband, Ken, of Hinsdale; two sons, Bing Miller of Bar Harbor, Maine, and Terry P. Miller and his wife, Anna, of Pittsfield; seven grandchildren, Amy, Laura, Heather, Kenny, Troy, Teryn and Abbe, and four great-grandchildren, Dylan, Makaylee, Brayden and Brody.
He was preceded in death by his only sister, Shirley Thomas.
FUNERAL NOTICE — Funeral services for Mr. Miller will be held Friday morning, Aug. 28, at 9:15 from Devanny-Condron Funeral Home, followed with a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10 at St. Charles' Church, with the Rev. Peter A. Gregory, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow with full military rites in St. Joseph's Cemetery.
Calling hours will the Thursday, Aug. 27, from 4 to 7 at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be gratefully made to Boys & Girls Club of Pittsfield or Soldier On in Pittsfield, both in care of the funeral home.
The family would like to extend sincere thanks to the neighbors on upper Brown Street for their wonderful concern and caring. Also they would like to thank HospiceCare of the Berkshires for the compassionate care provided to their father to help him to leave with dignity and in comfort.