Charles J. Miller, 73, of Uncasville, CT, formerly of Smithfield, RI, died Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at Beechwood Acute Care in New London, CT. He was the husband of Nancy (Ray) Miller and the late Maureen (Dwyer) Miller.
Born in Providence, he was the son of the late Charles J. and Roseda (Plante) Miller. He had most recently lived in Uncasville, CT after moving from Smithfield in September, 2019.
Charlie grew up in Pawtucket, attended Saint Raphael Academy and started a degree in education at Rhode Island College before enlisting in the US Air Force in 1967. After two years, he married Maureen and went on to serve for 24 years during which they were stationed in Japan, Germany, Greece, and all across the United States. He started his military career in Microwave Communications and added a second specialty in Public Affairs, retiring as a Master Sergeant. One of his proudest moments in the military was serving as the Public Affairs Liaison for Patrick Air Force Base and NASA when the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster occurred. During that time, he managed the sharing of non-classified information about the explosion with the national press.
Charlie always had a soft spot for children. Even before he became a father, he always volunteered to dress up as Santa for the base Christmas celebrations. Even after his daughter, Stefanie, was born he continued to do so without her figuring out his secret identity. As a father, he led the PTA with his wife, Maureen. When Maureen became the Girl Scout coordinator for the base in Germany, Charlie took on the role of un-official Girl Scout, helping to sell the cases of cookies that were stored in their basement. When Stefanie’s t-ball team needed another coach, he stepped in and when they didn’t have transportation to their games across Germany and the Netherlands, he got certified to drive the base’s van to drive the kids to their games on the weekends.
When the boy scouts wanted to plan a trip to East Berlin in 1987, Charlie helped secure the proper paperwork & free housing at the barracks in West Berlin, and expanded the trip to include the girl scout troop as well. Then when the Berlin Wall fell two years later, Charlie organized a field trip for the entire 6th grade class to visit Berlin again.
Charlie was always there when you needed him, never hesitated to help out, and was creative in solving problems.
After retiring from the Air Force, Charlie returned to Rhode Island and earned his Bachelor’s and Master's degrees from Johnson & Wales while working as the Practicum Coordinator for the university’s engineering program and managed the computer labs. After receiving his Master’s Degree, he transitioned to a faculty position, as a Professor of Engineering in the Graduate School, where he met his second wife, Nanc. He retired from Johnson & Wales in 2014.
After marrying Nancy, Charlie converted to the Episcopal faith and became very active with his congregations. He served as the Junior Warden at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Scituate, RI and served in the vestry at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Greenville.
After retiring from Johnson & Wales, Charlie volunteered for three years at the George West Elementary School in Providence as a reading tutor for 4th and 5th grade. After seeing how much the kids responded to him in his first week, he increased his commitment to three days per week. To his students, he was Mr. Charlie, their reading partner & mentor. Charlie also loved to volunteer for the ECC City Camp days at his church where he helped prepare big spaghetti dinners for the kids.
Charlie was an accomplished woodworker and enjoyed refinishing antique furniture that he found at tag sales & flea markets. He made many bookcases and other woodworking projects for his family. He also loved exploring and taking long drives around the US, Canada, and Europe.
Charlie spent the last six months at Beechwood Long Term Care facility where he was beloved by the staff. He was lovingly called a Gentleman Scholar by his favorite CNA.
He is survived by his wife Nancy; his daughter, Stefanie Summerer and her husband Eric of Simsbury, CT, his stepdaughter, Jessica Young of Warwick, and his stepson, Christopher Young of Las Vegas; grandsons, Noah and Evan Summerer, cousins, Richard Lacroix and his wife Elizabeth; Dennis Plante; and many nieces and nephews and close friends. He was the brother of the late Jeanne Marie Miller.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, August 18, 2021 from 10:00-11:00 am in the Anderson-Winfield Funeral Home, Rt 44 at Greenville Common, Greenville followed by a funeral service at 11:30am at St. Thomas Church, Putnam Pike, Greenville. Private burial with military honors will be at the RI Veterans Cemetery. The family respectfully requests those attending services to please wear a mask. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory would be appreciated to the Episcopal Conference Center of RI’s City Camp program, 872 Reservoir Rd, Pascoag, RI 02859 or the Hydrocephalus Association, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 905, Bethesda, MD 20814-4447.