William Harris "Bill" Miller

William Harris "Bill" Miller, age 87, of Fork Union, Virginia, passed away on February 24, 2022, at Morningside of Charlottesville. Bill was born on February 27, 1934, the youngest child and only boy of the late Burton Kindt and Frieda Koch Miller of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, who predeceased him. He was also preceded in death by brothers-in-law Charles "Pinky" Tertusek, Vincent J. McAndrew, Jack A. Campbell, and Leonard J. Mark; sister-in-law, Rose Marie Mark Campbell; nephews, James V. McAndrew, Robert B. McAndrew, and Charles A. Tertusek; and granddaughter, Kathryn Towler Shuman.

As a college freshman on December 26, 1953, Bill married his high school sweetheart Geraldine "Jell" Mark, and the couple lived in Charlottesville, Virginia until his graduation from the University of Virginia in 1958. Following graduation, Bill and Jell moved to Fork Union, Virginia, where he taught Algebra I and 2, and became the head postgraduate basketball coach at Fork Union Military Academy. He led the postgraduate program for 13 years and then served as the Assistant Athletic Director, a position he held until his retirement in 1997.

At Fork Union, Bill and Jell not only created a loving family, but were instrumental in creating a tight-knit community of colleagues and families that added fulfillment to their lives. Bill recruited and mentored countless Fork Union cadets in athletics and academics, many of them from his beloved Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. Bill took his role as a mentor, coach, and teacher to Fork Union cadets and members of the Fork Union community as a privilege.

Bill was an excellent athlete. He graduated from Bethlehem High School, currently known as Liberty High School, in 1952, having lettered in basketball, baseball, soccer and football. As a high school senior, he was named to the First Team All-East Pennsylvania League Team, won the Bethlehem Boy's Club Athlete of the Year award, and was named to the United Press and the Associated Press First Team All-State Pennsylvania Basketball Teams. He also recorded a perfect game while on the diamond as a left-handed pitcher in baseball.

Following graduation, Bill accepted a basketball scholarship to Villanova University. Unhappy there, he left Philadelphia in November of 1952 before his freshman basketball season began, and through a Bethlehem High School friend, he landed at Fork Union Military Academy – sight unseen – in time to play on the postgraduate team. At FUMA, he made the First Team All-Military Virginia team and head coach Bus Male recruited and signed him to play basketball at the University of Virginia. At UVa, Bill was a three-year starter at point guard, playing as a sophomore with famed Buzzy Wilkinson. As a pass-first point guard, Bill, along with scorer Buzzy, made a great combination, and they became lifelong friends. Bill ended his Cavalier career with scoring 949 points in 70 games over three seasons, was the team captain his senior year, and earned Second Team All-ACC Tournament Team honors in 1956 and 1957. He was credited with the first triple-double in ACC history on Feb 1, 1955, scoring 11 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists, in a 98-91 loss to No. 6-ranked NC State. Bill also lettered in baseball for two years and soccer for one year at UVa.

Bill was inducted into the Lehigh Valley Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979, the Liberty High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Fork Union Military Academy Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.

Bill and Jell were married for 66 years until her passing in 2020. He is survived by his four children, daughter, Patricia (John) Shuman of Fork Union, Va.; daughter, Kathleen (Jeffrey) Warn of Virginia Beach, Va.; son, William Jr. "Billy" (Chimee) Miller of Arlington, Va.; and son, Michael (Michelle) Miller of Washington, D.C. He is also survived by nine grandchildren who loved their "Dee Dee" so very much, Elizabeth, Ryan (Meredith), Kelly (Reginald), Mark, Alex, Kaitlin, Anu, Zoe, and Riley. Three great-grandchildren, Clark, Keizer and Mikya, also survive him, as well as his sisters, Betty McAndrew and Grace Tertusek of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and their children, Susan, David, Cindy and their families.

The family would like to acknowledge and thank Dr. and Mrs. Randall Bashore for their exceptional care and friendship throughout the years, along with wonderful caregivers Angela Miller, Jasmyne Johnston, Bianca Dudley, Carolyn Woodson, Megan Miller, Wendy Woodward, Bonnie Nicholson, Natarisha Ware, and Jackie Finchem, all of whom treated him with love and kindness. The family also wishes to acknowledge the staffs at Morningside of Charlottesville and Martha Jefferson House.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, March 12, 2022, at 1 p.m. at the Wicker Chapel of Fork Union Military Academy, followed by a reception in the Thomas Gymnasium on Fork Union Military Academy's campus, 4744 James Madison HWY, Fork Union, VA 23055.

Donations in Bill's name may be made to Fork Union Military Academy's Athletic Department, ATTN AD Club, 4744 James Madison HWY, Fork Union, VA 23055.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Daily Progress on Mar. 6, 2022.

Memories and Condolences
for William Miller

8 Entries

Tony Laquintano

March 1, 2025

I can remember pas Annual Basketball Reunions and this years was one that brought back lots of memories of my friend and Basketball Alumnus Bill Miller Bill was just the kind of person who I could discuss our mutual love of Virginia Basketball and Basketball in General. Heb was one of Virginia's all time great players of an earlier era. I do miss my friend every time I'm in discussion re: former great players from Virginia. Bill's legacy will remain in my memory and the frieindship we had forever.

Joe Iampietro

February 29, 2024

Remembering Billy at this time.

joseph Iampietro

March 1, 2023

Remembering Billy at this time. He rests in peace.

Tony Laquintano

May 8, 2022

I was stunned and sad to hear that Bill had passed away. I never had the pleasure of playing with Bill at UVa . He graduated the year I entered Virginia. I first met him at an Alumni Game and from that time on I became familiar with the outstanding career he had at Virginia. After I finished playing and started coaching Bill would referee some of my games at Scottsville High, He was in fact one of the best referees and I always knew when Bill showed up for one of our games we were going to get an excellent referred game. After Virginia started to have Alumni Weekends for previous players , I always looked forward to seeing and sitting at the game talking to Bill and catching up on all the past stories when he played and when played as well, Bill will go down as one of the best Little Men ever to wear the Blue and Orange. It is difficult to accept I will not be able to see him at the Alumni Weekends. He was a true friend and a superb player, coach and mentor to many.

Ray Jennison

March 21, 2022

I played (not much) for coach Miller at Fork Union for two years.. He had forgotten that but remembered that I was a good student Indeed I was but because of him. That was fifty years ago and he remembered that. Incredible! Coach or Captain Miller was a study in character which he instilled in students and athletes alike. The man was unquestionably fair. This world is far less without him. And it profited mightily from his contribution to education and sports. I know I did. His loss diminishes us all.
Ray Jennison, Class 1965

David Jones

March 9, 2022

In uniform (baseball), Bill and I slipped out of the Field House and began to toss the ball back and forth. ( I was the catcher) After no more than 3 exchanges, he began to fire one fast ball after another. We arrived in Reading and started formal warm-ups. His arm was dead, but we did not tell Coach Howard; not a good day for Billy or the team as we were beaten badly. I suppose that day was the only bad day he had as an athlete; we never saw another one at Liberty.

I marveled at his humility; it was a trait he possessed in the core of his soul.

Requiescat in pace !

Joe Iampietro

March 7, 2022

I met Billy in junior high and we played sports at the Boys Club and local playgrounds. We played football at BHS and I marveled at his abilities on the basketball court. He was a joy to watch.
It was great to see him at our class reunions. He always drew a crowd.
He will be missed. Rest in peace, Billy.

Joseph E. Illick

March 5, 2022

I am so sorry to see Billy Miller pass. We were classmates at Bethlehem (PA) High School, but there were over 550 of us, and I didn't get to know him well, though I saw his awesome athletic feats. But when I was working on a book on our high school class, "At Liberty," he generously invited me to Fork Union to visit him and Jell, and we were able to talk at length. I was struck by his sincerity, his humility, his judgment and his true kindness, the sort of man anyone would value as a friend. I stayed in touch with him to my benefit.

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