Pastor William McKinley Miles

1933 - 2019

Pastor William McKinley Miles

Princess Anne - Pastor William McKinley Miles, a consummate servant of the Lord, loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away silently at his home in Princess Anne, Maryland at the age of eighty-six on Sunday, November 24, 2019.

Pastor Miles was the eldest of twelve children born on November 7, 1933 in Princess Anne, Maryland to the late Alton and Frances Dix Miles. Educated in Somerset County, he was a graduate of Greenwood High School and attended North Carolina Agriculture &Technical University on a baseball scholarship where he received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, with a minor in Physical Education As a draftee he served as a paratrooper in the United States Army. He later earned his Master of Science in Mathematics at Atlanta University and studied at Wesley Theological Seminary.

While a faculty member at Norfolk State University, he co-founded the Tidewater Institute of Business with the late Betty Jones Miles. Upon his return to the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland, he continued teaching and later embarked upon a career in Wicomico County as an administrator where he retired after thirty-eight years. William's stints in teaching math included Morris Brown College, Norfolk State University, Wicomico Junior High School and Somerset Junior Senior High School where he also coached and founded their first baseball team which included some of his brothers and relatives.

As an elected official, he represented District 1 on the Somerset County Board of Education from the remainder of the 2001 term held previously by the late Betty Jones Miles until he retired in December 2014 where he served as member, vice chairperson and chairperson by his peers. Lastly, he was the senior pastor of the Marion Station Charge for twenty years.

He was joined in holy matrimony to the former Frances Mary Baker, M.D. for 14 years.

He is survived by daughters, Vera of Bowie, Maryland, Krystal of Tallahassee, Florida; a son, Eric of Princess Anne, Maryland; a granddaughter, Rachon Cottman; grandsons, Kevin Warner, Jr. and Eric Miles, Jr.; one great-grandchild, Kiyara Cottman; sisters, Ethel Reed, Ruth Scott, Margaret Bratton and Nancy Miles; brothers, Kairl (Mary), Wayne (Joyce), Alton (Sadie), Donald (Faye) and Lewis (Vielka) and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.

Pastor Miles was preceded in death by his father, Alton, and mother, Frances (Dix), former wife Betty (mother of his children) along with two brothers, Alvin and Beverley.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, December 7, 2019 at Handy United Methodist Church 5630 Tulls Corner RD, Marion Station, MD at 11:00 AM. A public viewing will take place the same day from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Funeral services entrusted to Anthony E. Ward, Jr. Funeral Home in Princess Anne, MD. To send condolences they may be sent to 30639 Hampden Avenue, Princess Anne, Maryland 21853 or www.anthonyeward.com.