William Mason Miller, popularly known as Bing, age 87 of Shelton, entered into rest on Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at Griffin Hospital in Derby. He is the beloved husband of 62 years of Joyce Kane Miller. Bing was born in Derby on June 12, 1927, son of the late Edward L. and Alice (Donovan) Miller, and was a lifelong Shelton resident.
He graduated from Hopkins School in New Haven in 1945, served his country with the US Navy from 1945 to 1946, and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1950.
Bing founded the Miller Insurance Agency in December of 1950 and was active in the business until his retirement in 1991. He was a lifetime member of St. Joseph Church in Shelton and was an active leader in the community, serving as a Trustee and Chairman of the Board of Hewitt Memorial Hospital, past President of the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Trustee and Treasurer of the Friend A. Russ Fund, Inc., Director of the former Derby Savings Bank, member of the William and Vera Todd Scholarship Fund, Treasurer of the former Derby-Shelton Board of Trade, Corporator of the Griffin Hospital, past board member and President of the Valley United Way, member of the former Shelton Kiwanis Club, board member of the Valley Chamber of Commerce, member of the American Legion Post #16, Shelton, Treasurer of the Shelton Educational Fund and past member of the Valley Jaycees.
After retirement Bing continued his involvement with the Boys and Girls Club of LNV and was Project Coordinator and Treasurer during the Capital Campaign and construction of the new club house in Shelton. He received the Valley Chamber of Commerce Gold Seal Award in 1974 and the Platinum Award in 2003, the Boys and Girls Club of LNV Service to Youth Award in 1990, and the Valley United Way Charles H Flynn Humanitarian Award in 1998.
Bing was an avid fan of Dartmouth football.
He is the beloved father of Lynn Miller and her husband Thomas Sutnik of Southbury, Robin Miner and her husband Robert of New Canaan, and William M. Miller, Jr. and his wife Stephanie of Oxford. He also leaves six cherished grandchildren, Ryan, Brett, and Lauren Miner and William Mason, III, Andrew, and Alexander Miller. He also leaves his sister-in-law, Marie Miller, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was predeceased by his brother, Edward W. Miller.
Friends may greet the family at the Riverview Funeral Home, 390 River Road, Shelton, on Friday, December 12, from 4 to 7 PM. On Saturday, December 13, his procession will leave Riverview at 9:45 AM for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 AM at St. Joseph Church in Shelton. Burial at the family plot in Lawn Cemetery East will be private.
