William Robert "Bill" Miller, 67, Southside, passed away Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016."Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth… Put out my hand, and touched the face of God."Bill is survived by his wife of 41 years, Carolyn Wade Miller; son, Johnny (Jill) Miller; daughters, Lisa Jenkins Davis, and Rhonda Jenkins (Jerry) Kirchoff; brother, Mark (Debbie) Miller; sister, Edwina Miller (Linda); grandchildren, Ethan and Chris Davis, Stephanie Saint, Andrew, Ainsley and Alex Kirchoff, Connor, Jacyie and William Preston Miller, and Colby and Emma Lancaster; brother and sister-in-law, Jerry (Debbie) Wade; and special aunt, Jerrie Fuhrman; and a host of cousins.He was preceded in death by his parents, Edwin and Alice Miller; grandparents, James Smith and Ethel Head Miller; sister-in-law, Belinda Wade; father and mother-in-law, Johnny and Nannie Wade; and several aunts, uncles and close friends.Bill was born in Colorado. He was a military brat and lived many different places during his childhood, including Colorado, Montana, South Carolina, California and the Philippines. He lived the rest of his life in Alabama. He enlisted in the Army at the age of 19 and attained the rank of Sergeant, E-5, in a very short time. Bill was a member of the AmeriCal Division, D Battery, 6th Battalion, 11th Artillery. He received the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart for wounds he received in Vietnam. Bill was proud of his service to his country.Bill loved to play the guitar, play golf, hunt and fish. Some of his best times were spending cold mornings in the deer woods or getting up at 4 a.m. to go bass fishing with his son, brother and friends. His and Carolyn's first date was spent fishing on the Coosa River in Southside. Bill was an avid Alabama fan and had a family tradition of watching Bama games with Johnny and his grandkids. He would always go outside during the Bama games and yell "Rammer Jammer Yellowhammer." Bill worked at Goodyear for 30 years, building tires and in the tube room, where everyone knew him as Cochise. Bill was an exceptional husband, father, grandfather, son and brother. He was affectionately known as "Pop" to his kids and grandkids. He will be greatly missed by all who loved and knew him.Special thanks to the nurses and aides at Alacare Home Health and Hospice for all the compassionate care and sympathy to Bill and our family. You are all very special angels.There will be no service or flowers. Memorials may be made to Disabled American Veterans, DAV.com, or PO Box 14301 Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301 or to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, P O Box 50, Memphis, THN 38101-9929, which were dear to Bill's heart.
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