William Edward "Bill" Miller Sr.

Family-Placed Funeral Notice

WILLIAM EDWARD MILLER, SR. “Bill” February 8, 1917 - April 6, 2006 Bill Miller, age 89, of North Palm Beach, Florida, passed away on Thursday, April 6, 2006. He was born on February 8, 1917 in Portsmouth, Ohio, son of the late Arthur Edgert Miller, Sr. and Ethel Mae Webster Miller, and grew up on the east side of Detroit, Michigan. In 1931, he graduated from Monteith School, Detroit where he was Secretary of his class in the eighth grade. Bill had a life long love of sailboats and sailing. Starting at the age of twelve, he and his friends spent their summers sailing on the Detroit River, on a sailboat, built by his father. At sixteen, Bill skippered in the Universal Class to win First Place in the Bob Lo to Put In Bay race. He went on to sail in his first Port Huron to Mackinac Race in 1933. In 1935, he graduated from Eastern High School, Detroit. During the 1940's, Bill was a member of Detroit Yacht Club. In 1941, he enlisted in The United States Navy and served his country from April 7, 1941 through September 1945. On June 6, 1944, Bill was aboard a Mine sweep setting maker buoys in the English Channel. It was the first day of “Operation Overload”, historically known as D-Day. He was honorably discharged in 1945 with rank of Boatswains's Mate First Class. On July 4, 1945, Bill married Jessie P. McGathan and they were married for 48 years until her death in August, 1993. Throughout his marriage, Bill was active in his community in the Toledo, Ohio metropolitan area where he lived and worked. He was a parishioner of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Maumee, Ohio. In 1948, Bill served as crew for Fred Temple in the Lake Ontario International Race, commonly known as the Rochester Race, and Fred Temple's sailboat won First Place. In 1959, he served as crew for “Toot” Gmeiner aboard “Apache” which took First Place, Overall, in the Port Huron to Mackinac Race. In the late 1950's, Bill worked on the Toledo Flower Show with George Yakobian for several years. In 1961, The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary presented The Harrison Memorial Award to Bill for outstanding service to the Boating Public, while Bill was a member of the Maumee River Yacht Club. The Maumee River Yacht Club honored him for Outstanding Leadership of the Junior Sailing Program from 1958 through 1962. Bill served as Commodore of the Associated Yacht Clubs of Toledo, Ohio in 1963 and Commodore of North Cape Yacht Club, LaSalle, Michigan in 1971. Bill owned and operated Great Lakes Engraving Corporation until his retirement in 1972. After retiring, he trained and passed all testing for a 100 Ton U.S. Coast Guard License which enabled him to charter his boat, the “Damn Yankee”, and allowed him to share his knowledge of the principles of sailing with the general public. Bill was awarded the “Old Goat” by Bayview Yacht Club, Detroit, Michigan for having sailed in 25 or more Port Huron to Mackinac Island Races. He also sailed in many of the Chicago to Mackinac Island Races. After retirement, in the mid-1970's Bill and his wife Jessie moved to North Palm Beach where he was a member of the Palm Beach Sailing Club and President of the Waterway Condominium Association. When he was in his seventies, he took up wood working and made over ten pieces of beautiful furniture. These desks, dining tables, occasional tables, chest of drawers and cradles still adorn his family's homes. In his eighties, he took up bowling and was President of the “Young at Heart” Bowling League at Jupiter Lanes in Jupiter, Florida. On January 5, 2006, Bill moved to the Marshview Assisted Living community, Savannah, Georgia to be closer to family who had recently moved to the area. In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by two older brothers, George Frederick Miller and Arthur Edgert Miller, Jr., and his younger sister, Helen Elizabeth Miller. Bill is survived by two children: Laurie J. Miller Ragan and William E. Miller, Jr.; granddaughter, Kelly A. Ragan Rhea; grandson, William E. Miller, III; and two great-grandsons: Britten Beau Miller and Joseph A. Rhea, V. A memorial service of celebration and thanksgiving for the life of Bill Miller will take place at Howard-Price Funeral Home, 754 U.S. Highway One, North Palm Beach on Friday, April 21, 2006 at 11 A.M. Those planning an expression of sympathy, in lieu of flowers, are asked to consider contributions in memory of William Edward Miller, Sr. to your favorite charitable organization. To express condolences and/or make donations Visit PalmBeachPost.com/obituaries