Miller, William R. (Footsie), 95, of Palm Beach, FL and New York, NY, died on March 29, 2019. Born and raised in Chester, NY, the son of Raymond Arlington and Elizabeth Rogers Miller. He was an outstanding athlete at Chester Academy and attended Clarkson College, Baylor University, the University of Georgia and graduated from Fordham University ( B.S.) in 1950. In WW II he was a Navy Carrier Pilot and Landing Signal Officer with the rank of Lieutenant. From 1947-1951 he was a Fighter Pilot in Squadrons VF-95 and VF-841at Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, NY, until assigned to the USS Saratoga. For the next eight years, he served as a Special Agent with the FBI in Illinois, Los Angeles and New York City. Footsie was extremely proud of his service to our country and often entertained all with fascinating stories of flying and chasing America's Most Wanted. He then became a real estate executive and partner in leading NYC residential firms, notably serving as President of Brown, Harris, Stevens from 1984-1989.
He was an active member of many clubs including the Nyack Field Club (President), The Union, University, and Racquet & Tennis Clubs, New York City, and The Rockaway Hunt (Governor), Lawrence Beach and Cedarhurst Yacht Clubs on Long Island. In warmer climes, he was a member of Mill Reef in Antigua, The Everglades, Beach and Old Guard Clubs in Palm Beach. He also belonged to several societies namely St. Andrew's, St Nicholas (President), Dutch Settlers, Colonial Wars, SAR, Mayflower (Governor), Pilgrims and Acorn.
Married in 1956 to the late Nancy McClain Harris of Paris, IL, Bill later married Emma Gillespie of New York, NY and Southampton, NY who survives. Also surviving are his two daughters, Marissa Harris Miller of Cedarburg, WI and Sarah Miller Hart of Bethlehem, PA, his three step children, Larned B. Fowler, Kenrick G. Fowler and Hilary Northrup, three grandchildren, Schuyler, Nancy and Gifford Hart, six step-grandchildren, and a sister Elizabeth M. Greene of Hamden, CT.
Services will be private. Interment at Fort Barrancas National Cemetery at the Naval Air Station,
Pensacola, FL.
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