William Banks Miller Jr.'s Obituary
William Banks Miller, Jr. 87 of Huntersville died November 23, 2019 at his home. He was born on July 17, 1932 in Cleveland County to the late William Banks Miller, Sr. and Elizabeth Bowen Miller.
“I have been blessed beyond my wildest dreams” was an often-heard phrase from “Banks” Miller in his golden years.
Banks was a cherished husband, proud father, devoted son, grandfather to six grandchildren, as well as a devout Christian. He was a Golden Lion with over 50 years of service to the Huntersville Lions Club, and was an avid outdoorsman, fisherman, and skilled quail hunter who delighted in training his own bird dogs.
Banks was born in Cleveland County, North Carolina, and grew up in the family home on Maple Creek, where he spent many young hours exploring. He attended Piedmont Elementary School. Upon its closing for snow one day, he chose to follow the creek home by foot instead of riding the bus, to the worried consternation of his parents.
He transferred to Fallston Elementary School and, being of an enterprising nature, would open Paul Dixon’s general store before school, go to class, and then return to the store to work until American Legion baseball practice in the evening. His prowess in baseball later earned him an invitation to try out for the NY Yankees baseball franchise. In basketball, he was part of the renowned “Fallston Flying Five” High School team, which he parlayed into a scholarship to Gardner Webb University. At that institution he averaged 13 points a game.
While at Gardner Webb, he met and married his beloved wife, Sara Mull Cooke, for a relationship that would last over 65 years.
Banks and Sara both graduated from Gardner Webb, and then completed a MS of Education at West Carolina University. After graduation, Banks volunteered for military service, and served in the U.S. Army as a member of the 62nd Signal Corps until his honorable discharge.
He started his educational career as an educator at Hoskins Elementary School before becoming the principal of Huntersville Elementary School, which he led for 21 years. Banks finished his career at Alexander Junior High School before his retirement.
After retirement, Banks traveled extensively by camper, gold panning and exploring his way to Alaska twice before parking his camper at his favorite fishing spot, Lake Wateree. Throughout his retirement, he spent countless hours fishing any body of water large enough to throw a plug into.
Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Sara Cooke Miller; sons, William Banks Miller III (Susan) of Houston, TX, Chad Cooke Miller of Leonardtown, MD, and Chet Todd Miller (Sally) of Kings Mountain, NC; brother, Stephen Miller (Sara) of Vale, NC and his grandchildren: William Banks Miller IV, Sharon Miller Wofford (Nick), Thomason Cooke Miller, Kelly Cooke Johnson (Jason), Benjamin Stephen Miller and Grace Ann Miller.
The family will receive friends from 5-7 PM Friday, November 29 at James Funeral Home.
The funeral service will be held at 3 PM Saturday, November 30 at First Baptist Church Huntersville with a private internment following at Northlake Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive guests at the Huntersville First Baptist Fellowship Hall following the internment.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Huntersville Building Fund, 119 N. Old Statesville Rd. Huntersville, NC 28078 in lieu of flowers.
James Funeral Home of Huntersville is serving the family.
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