William D. Miller

William D. “Bill” Miller, a long-time resident of Fairfield and more recently of Stamford, passed away peacefully at the Nathaniel Witherell nursing home on Tuesday, November 7. He was 95.

Born in Baltimore on Aug. 12, 1928, to William Wilder Miller and Louise (Hauser) Miller, he grew up in both Baltimore MD and Rochester NY. Bill enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1946, and served as a draftsman at Andrews AFB in Washington, D.C. He was awarded the World War II Victory Medal, and qualified as marksman. He achieved the rank of Sergeant and was honorably discharged in 1949.

After military service, Bill studied at the Chouinard Art Institute (now the California Institute of the Arts) in Los Angeles. Upon graduation, he took art classes at The Art Students League of New York, studying with famed illustrator Frank Reilly. It was in one of Mr. Reilly’s night classes that he met his future wife, Beatrice Carlson. They wed on May 18, 1956 and were married for 58 years.

Bill was a career commercial artist and art director at several of New York’s Madison Avenue advertising agencies, including Young & Rubicam. After moving from Manhattan to Fairfield in 1971, he worked for advertising agencies in Fairfield County before freelancing from his home art studio.

After Bea’s death in 2014, Bill relocated to Stamford to be closer to family. He was a loving and involved grandfather, always ready to play a board game or fly a balsa wood glider with his grandsons.

He was a lifelong model airplane enthusiast, and a member of the Flying Aces Club, Squadron 22, spending many happy times building and flying stick-and-tissue planes.

Bill is survived by his three children: Bruce Miller and his wife Lisa Figlioli of Cos Cob; Nancy Bea Miller and her husband Paul Downs of Penn Valley, Penn.; and James Miller and his wife Lisbeth of Stamford. He also leaves eight grandsons: Peter, Henry and Hugh Downs; and Michael, Nolan, Garrett, Hayden and Jordan Miller. His sister-in-law Michelle Carlson Rutman of Coram, N.Y. survives him, as do many beloved nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held on Monday, November 20, at 11 am. at Spear-Miller Funeral Home. Friends and family may visit ahead of time from 10-11. Spear-Miller is located at 39 S Benson Rd in Fairfield. Interment will take place at Lawncroft Cemetery, 1740 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The ARC, 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, suite 500, Washington, DC 20006  www.thearc.org