1949 - 2021
William A. Miller (Billy) was born one of eight children to Walter and Catherine Miller, with seven sisters. After a tour as a Marine in Vietnam in 1971, he returned home to the love of his life, Rita Joan Miller (Cancilliere) and built a loving family. A lifelong member of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 52 in New York City, Billy worked as a Key Grip on motion pictures since 1975, including such films as Prince of the City, Daniel, Terms of Endearment, Silence of the Lambs, A Bronx Tale, Philadelphia, Beloved and Sixth Sense, to name a few. Later in his career, Billy was chosen by then Mayor Bloomberg and the Mayor's Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting (now Office of Media and Entertainment) to develop a program to attract, train and employ diverse and economically disadvantaged young people as film technicians; the initiative remains in place today and there are numerous young people working in the film business as members of Local 52 as a result of his training. He is survived by his loving wife, Rita Joan, his three children, Jennifer Valentino (Carl), Billy Miller (Sara) and Mary Valentino (Chris), as well as nine loving grandchildren: Jack, Will, Luke, Sean, Teddy, Max, Ben, Alex and finally his true princess, Violet. He is also survived by his seven sisters. After retirement from the film industry, when not traveling the world with his bride, Billy remained active on the east end of Long Island in the town of Cutchogue sailing, riding bikes, running summer camps for his grandchildren and fixing town clocks. A wake will be held on Tuesday, April 6 from 3-7pm at Coster-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue and a funeral mass on April 7 at 11.30am at St. Patrick's Church in Southold.
In lieu of flowers, donations are requested for St. Ignatius School, 740 Manida Street, Bronx, NY 10474.
Published in New York Times from Apr. 5 to Apr. 8, 2021.