William "Bill" Charles Miller Jr.'s Obituary
William (Bill) Charles Miller, Jr. passed away at home on Sunday, March 16, 2025, at the age of 84. He was born on February 18, 1941, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to the late William Charles Miller, Sr. and Helen Coleman Miller. He was their eldest child and big brother to sisters, Eleanor May and Barbara Ann.
Bill attended Upper Merrion High School, graduating in 1959. He maintained lifelong relationships with his classmates and often reflected on their special times together, especially the fun he had with dear friend, Don DeNick.
After business school, Bill met a pretty nurse named Nancy at a college Bible study and they married six months later. They spent 61 wonderful years together, enjoying numerous trips to the Caribbean and regular vacations at Florida beaches where they were often seen holding hands as they walked the shoreline. Bill and Nancy adopted two children, who later married and gave him two grandsons - the joys of his life - until his great-grandchildren came along and stole every last piece of his heart.
Bill’s passion, 2nd only to his family, was sports. He was an incredible statistician, mentally cataloging the career stats of college and professional athletes over many decades. He also invested his time and energy into coaching young people in baseball and basketball. Coach Miller poured knowledge and enthusiasm into a generation of hopeful players. He stayed in touch with many of them, cheering them on from the sidelines of their lives as they became adults and had families of their own.
Bill spent his entire professional career in the newspaper advertising business. The majority of his career was spent at the Tampa Tribune before his retirement in 2003. His engaging personality and distinctive laugh made him a favorite among his colleagues and clients.
Bill loved to talk and rarely met a stranger. All types of people, especially babies, gravitated towards him. He was generous to a fault, a fierce defender of the underdog and a hype man for everyone who was blessed enough to call him friend.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, in-laws, brother-in-law, niece and many friends. Although we are broken hearted he is gone, Christ has given us hope of a heavenly reunion. For now, we imagine he and Jerry Rutt are filling out their March Madness brackets and waiting for tip-off.
Dad, we miss you, immensely. You were our go-to when life got rough. We could always count on you to cheer us on and celebrate our accomplishments. Because of you, we have a deep love of family and a strong work ethic. Thank you for all the calls, texts, wise words of advice and the unmatched loyalty you showed us even when we did not deserve it.
A memorial service will be held for Bill, beloved husband, father, Papa, brother, uncle, son and coach on Sunday, April 6, 2025 at Crestview Baptist Church, 615 Old Polk City Road, Lakeland, FL 33809. Visitation will begin at 1:00 PM, followed by a service at 1:30 PM. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Crestview Baptist Church or to One More Child, PO Box 8190, Lakeland, FL 33802.
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