Heaven needed a veteran centerfielder, so God called Bill Miller off the bench to join the team.  William R. Miller, 89, passed away peacefully on December 24, 2022.  He was born October 22, 1933, to Hazel A. (Sturdivant) Miller and William F. Miller.  Bill was a devout husband, father, son, brother, and uncle.  He had an unshakable faith in God and lived a full life of service.  He was a true gentleman and those around him knew his quiet strength, gentle spirit, handsome smile, and wonderful sense of humor and quick wit.  He will be forever missed, but we rejoice that he has been reunited with his wife of 58 years and freed from his earthly body ravaged by Parkinson's Disease.

Bill grew up in Duck Creek, WI – an excellent student who loved to hunt small game and birds with his father.  It was during his youth that a lifelong love of baseball began.  Bill attended St. Norbert High School and was a member of the baseball team.  Upon graduating, Bill began his college studies, at St. Norbert College where he was a member of the Green Knights baseball team.  A bit undecided about his career and life path, Bill joined the Marines and served two years in the San Francisco Bay area during the final years of the Korean War.

He returned home to Green Bay and through his USMC buddy, Jim Marchant, was introduced to JoAnn, his pen pal and Jim's cousin.  This outgoing, lovely brunette really caught Bill's eye. A courtship began and grew into an engagement as the couple finished out their college studies; JoAnn at UWM and Bill at St. Norbert in De Pere.

Bill married JoAnn C. (Marchant) Miller on August 23, 1958.  In January of 1960, they welcomed their first son, William Daniel – and 17 months later, their daughter Christine arrived.  During this time, Bill was working in sales for Swift.  In 1962, the Kennedy Administration increased federal funding to local welfare departments for casework and job training. Bill, with JoAnn's encouragement, entered UC Berkeley's Masters program.  Together, Bill and JoAnn traveled to and from California with their two toddlers until Bill graduated.  His first assignment was in Rhinelander for Oneida County, and once an opening became available in Brown County, Bill moved his family back to Green Bay to be closer to Grandparents.  Once settled, and with Bill's career as a Social Worker for Brown County advancing, the family grew with the additions of three sons:  Steven, Patrick, and Paul.

Bill and JoAnn made the northwest side of Green Bay home.  They purchased a Dutch Colonial house on Elmore Street and renovated their new home to fit their growing family's needs.  It had a big yard, lots of trees for climbing and a monkey swing.  There were plenty of kids in the neighborhood for daily games of kickball, tag, baseball, and football in the sandlot next door.  The yard was a neighborhood favorite for kick-the-can and flashlight tag in the evenings.  Many evenings, before dinner, the living room became the place Bill wrestled his kids and remarkably could pin all five at once – and even Schnitzel, the family Dachshund!  Bill and JoAnn loved the neighborhood and that the Miller kids could walk to St. Jude Grade School. One thing that was important to Bill was his extended family.  He and JoAnn spent holidays and birthdays celebrating with their parents, aunts and uncles, and dozens of cousins -- many holidays included family and friends who had nowhere else to go – the Miller home was a refuge for them all.

Bill was a devoted Dad, and life with five kids was hectic.  There were ballgames, band concerts, dance recitals, musicals, rec league games, and activities to help guide like scouting and school homework projects.  There were art lessons, ski lessons at Pink Panther Ski Hill, sport camps and tournaments.  And -- he was there -- cheering his children on in each of their endeavors.  Summers were spent traveling to the Marchant family cottage on Little Green Lake in Mountain to give the kids vacations of swimming, rowing, fishing, hiking, Slippery Rock sliding, berry picking, and a less hectic life at the lake.  Fall was full of excitement for Bill and his four boys with small game, goose, and deer hunting; a deer camp that in later years included Grandsons -- and Granddaughters -- joining them.

In 1977, the Miller family packed up Oliver, their Dodge Maxi-Van and embarked on a month's long cross-country trip to California and back.  Being a history major, Bill planned his family's vacation to include every National Park, famous person's grave site and historical marker along the route to help make the trip both educational and exciting for the family.  The Miller's lived National Lampoon's 'Family Vacation' decades before the movie would ever be made – their trip experiences and mishaps are still among the family's favorite stories to share!

Bill loved baseball.  The sound of a bat cracking when it hit a ball, the smell of a freshly mowed outfield, the lights of a ballfield at night, and the lifelong friendships built around baseball were an important part of Bill's life. He was a speedy centerfielder – outplaying men half his age.  While he wasn't a big hitter, it was almost certain that he would get to first base as he had a remarkable eye and would take the walk.  He loved to steal a base or two and often would advance around the bases with ease.  Bill played fast-pitch softball until he was nearing 60.  He played for the Billy Goats, Garsow's and Miller Time Media.  On the Miller Time team, he had the experience of a lifetime playing ball with his four sons, his brother Jerry, and his nephew Tim.  Bill's parents, Hazel and Bill, were the team's #1 fans and always in the bleachers.

Living a life of service to others was truly Bill's calling.  He began as a caseworker, working with juvenile delinquents, and the County's vulnerable seniors.  Through his dedication and steadfast leadership, he became the Director of Brown County Social Services Department.  Upon his retirement in the early 1990s, he led a department of over 400 employees.  Retirement did not slow him down.  Bill served on local non-profit boards, citizen advisory committees, acted as a state adjudicator, and one summer traveled west with a group of friends to rebuild National Park fences.  He accepted the challenge of coordinating Red Cross Blood Drives in Suamico for many years.

Bill and JoAnn visited youngest son Paul when stationed in South Korea on the DMZ through the Army's Korean Reunion program.  They also traveled Europe when Paul was stationed in Germany.  They toured Germany, Italy, Austria, France, England, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands to visit Bill's cousins.  They enjoyed visiting nearly all contiguous United States, Hawaii, and fished Canada with friends. Bill was an avid Packer fan and enjoyed family seats at Lambeau Field that were acquired in 1958.  Bill and JoAnn attended every home game and were fortunate to be able to travel to New Orleans in 1997 to see the Packers win the Super Bowl!

In Bill's later years, after hanging up his cleats, he found another game that he loved as much as baseball – golf.  He would take his young Grandchildren to courses around Green Bay.  And, as a Veteran, he also played each year in the Green Bay Country Club's Veterans Outing.  Summer travels included the cottage on Little Green Lake, visiting friends in the Northwoods and relaxing at daughter Christine's lake home in Eagle River.  They also traveled to spend time with their other children and grandchildren.

Bill was diagnosed with Parkinson's in his middle 70s.  A disease that was held at bay for many years. He lived with Parkinson's with dignity and through the challenges, kept his charming sense of humor and wit intact.  He was an inspiration to family and friends.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife JoAnn in 2016, his parents William (Bill) and Hazel Miller, his wife's parents, Harry and Evelyn Marchant, his brothers- and sisters-in-law; Joyce and Gene Smith, Jeanne and Jerry Kassner, Jim and Kathryn Marchant, Joyce and Jack Marchant; and two nephews, Jay Kassner and David Marchant, and son-in-law Dennis Van De Yacht.

He is survived by one brother Gerald (Jerry) S. Miller (June Grabow) of Oneida, his five children:  William Daniel (Cindy) Miller of Sobieski, Christine A. (Michael) Pierce of Wausau, Steven T. (Maureen) Miller of Suamico, Patrick J. (Kris) Miller of Waukesha, and Paul R. (Pam) Miller of Sheboygan.  He is further survived by 12 Grandchildren and 7 Great-Grandchildren: Lauren (Dustin) Herlache and their children Evelyn, Liam, Theodore, Finnian, and Charlotte.  Alex (Allison) Miller, Katie (Ryan) Akin and their children; Oliver and Grayson; Brian (Carsen) Miller; Sarah, Bailey, Owen, Josh, Olivia, Emma, Matthew, and Collin Miller.  Bill is a beloved uncle to dozens of nieces and nephews scattered across the State of WI and country, and many special friends who became adopted Miller family members.

The family is forever grateful for the compassionate care shown Bill these past few years when self-sufficiency and mobility was taken from him by Parkinson's Disease.  We would like to thank the team of caregivers at Tender Hearts Assisted Living in Howard and the team from ProMedica Hospice who pampered him with kindness and love. We are also grateful to the "Carols" from St. Edward & Isadore Parish whose faith gave him strength.

There will be a celebration of Bill's life on Monday, January 2, 2023 at Blaney Funeral Home, 1521 Shawano Avenue, Green Bay -- from 3:30 to 7PM.  Parish Wake Service to follow at 7PM.  A celebration of Bill's faith journey and life will continue at St. Edward & Isadore's Catholic Church, January 3, 2023, 3667 Flintville Road, Suamico from 9:30AM to 11AM.  Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 11AM. To send online condolences, please go to www.BlaneyFuneralHome.com .