William "Bill" Arthur Miller Jr.

Bill is survived by his wife of 60 years, Patricia “Pat” L. Miller; his sons, Scott E. Miller (Doug Piper) and Todd W. Miller; his grandchildren, Maddyn Miller, Marjorie Miller, and Piper Miller; and his brother, Donald Miller (Leora). He was preceded in death by his parents, William Arthur Miller and Gertrude M. Miller.

Bill was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 14, 1943. He grew up in Arlington Heights, Illinois, where he graduated from Arlington High School in 1961. He attended the University of Kentucky and later graduated from Parsons College in 1965.

He met Pat in Chicago in 1965 and they married in 1966. That same year, Bill began his career with Aetna Life & Casualty in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1969, Bill accepted a position with Vulcan Materials Company and moved back to the Chicago area. The following year, Vulcan relocated Bill and they returned to Birmingham, where he and Pat made their home for the remainder of their lives together. Bill spent 38 years with Vulcan Materials, serving as a Risk Manager in the Claims Department. He retired in 2007.

Bill and Pat enjoyed an active and adventurous retirement, traveling internationally to England, France, Germany, Italy, Peru, Tahiti, Tanzania, Kenya, Egypt and throughout the Caribbean. They also made frequent trips to San Antonio, New Orleans and the Bay Area to visit their sons and family.

A lifelong sports enthusiast, Bill was an avid basketball player and played regularly at the Shades Valley YMCA and Shades Mountain Baptist Church. He was a devoted fan of University of Kentucky basketball, University of Northern Iowa basketball, and University of Alabama football. He continued playing basketball well into his 70s, a testament to his love of the game and his competitive spirit.

Bill was also an avid fisherman throughout his life and particularly enjoyed fishing trips to Minnesota, Wisconsin and Canada.

Bill had a deep interest in the history of World War II, a passion he shared with Pat. Together, they were proud supporters of The National WWII Museum in New Orleans.

Bill will be remembered for his love of family, his lifelong friendships, his passion for sports and fishing, his curiosity about history and the world, and the many adventures he shared with Pat and his family. He leaves behind a lifetime of memories that will be cherished by those who knew and loved him.

A memorial service celebrating Bill’s life will be held on Saturday, October 3, at 2:30 p.m. The family will receive friends from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm at Southern Heritage Funeral Home in Pelham, Alabama.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The National WWII Museum.