William F. Miller dies

Below is the obituary on cleveland.com. Alana Baranick has also posted an obit on her website, www.obitsohio.com. She is seeking a photo of Bill, so if any alumni have one, please contact her.


By Grant Segall and Mike O'Malley/Plain Dealer Reporters
Tuesday August 04, 2009, 11:17 AM

MENTOR — The big, boisterous William F. Miller rescued fire victims, dressed down election officials for slow returns, won leading awards from journalism groups and foreign governments, sang on a single with Frankie Yankovic's band, crusaded against newsroom smoking, helped strikers around the country and befriended all of Cleveland's many ethnic communities.
Miller, 73, died Monday at LakeEast Hospital, two weeks after a massive stroke.
He worked at The Plain Dealer from 1959 to 2001, covering labor, poverty and ethnic groups. He also emceed ethnic festivals and burst into song.
In various accents, strangers often told his colleagues, "You know Bill Miller? Bill Miller my friend."
Alex Machaskee, former Plain Dealer publisher, said, "He will most certainly be missed and always revered as our ambassador to our international communities."
Dennis Kucinich, a PD copy boy turned congressman, once said of Miller, "He has communicated the incredible beauty of our cultural mosaic in a way that has been both moving and entertaining."
Miller won top statewide awards for articles and took photographs on the side that were displayed in Willoughby, Slovenia, Croatia and Yugoslavia. He traveled widely, often as the guest of foreign governments, and learned snippets of dozens of languages.
He once found a Cleveland boarding house on fire and dragged out elderly residents, helping the fire department rescue the 21 occupants without injuries.
His name is inscribed at PlayhouseSquare for helping to save its historic theaters.
Miller was born in New Kensington, Pa., and learned to shoot and develop film at age 9 from his photographer father. He delivered the local Daily Dispatch and joined its staff at age 15.
He later got a bachelor's degree in English from Kent State University and a master's in journalism from Northwestern University. He also produced films for the Army in Japan.
Miller belonged to the international Newspaper Guild for 50 years. He took two years' leave from The Plain Dealer to work as a guild representative around the country.
He met his wife, the former Marianne Spaethling of Germany, when both were visiting relatives in New Kensington. The couple lived in Mentor.
He loved to tell tales and give advice, often starting with "My good man" or "Listen, my friend." He once grimaced at the hat of a brand-new colleague and told him where to buy a better one.
Miller's survivors include his wife and their two sons, Mark, a television reporter in Seattle, and Billy, a painter in Manhattan, N.Y.
The family plans to schedule a memorial in late September.
Miller retired partly to spend more time with his ailing brother, Pete, an Emmy-winning local television cameraman. Pete died the next day.
In his final Plain Dealer column, Miller wrote "It's best to leave the polka party before the janitor starts sweeping up."