William R. Miles, Jr., age 93 passed away August 20, 2016, in Helena. Born April 9, 1923, in Helena, he was the youngest of four children to Ada (Gamer) and William R. Miles, Sr.
He spent his early years in East Helena, as his father was Chief Electrical Engineer at the ASARCO Smelter. He attended grade school in East Helena and graduated from Helena High School in 1941.
He attended the University of Montana at Missoula and the University of California at Berkeley. He was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. In 1942, he was called to WWII and given limited service. He joined the US Maritime Commission attached to the Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., as an IBM Supervisor. He served in Portland, Oregon and Richmond, California for four years. After the war he returned to Missoula to school for two additional years.
In 1948, he moved to Butte and purchased the family business from his two uncles. The retail shoe store was founded by his Grandfather Fred Gamer, who established the firm in Helena in 1867. There were stores located in Deer Lodge, Anaconda and Butte before the turn of the century. In 1952, the Gamer Shoe Store returned to Helena after an absence of 40 years.
In 1951 he married Louise Dreibelbis from a pioneer family in Butte. In Butte he was active on the Boards of the YMCA, the Salvation Army, a member of the Rotary Club, The Town Club, The Country Club and the Sigma Chi Alumni Association. Bill and four other young men chartered the Butte Jaycees.
In 1957 Bill purchased the Carlson Shoe Store in Great Falls and began to establish stores in Montana, Idaho and Eastern Washington. At one time there were twenty-two stores owned by the company.
In 1960 he, his wife Louise, and three sons moved to Helena. They built their family home on South Roberts Street. In 1964 he and a partner developed and built the Capitol Hill Mall that consisted of twenty-six tenants. The complex was sold in 1973.
Bill was active and served on the Boards of the Helena Food Share, the Salvation Army, the Shodair Hospital and Intermountain Deaconess Home. His Grandfather helped organize Intermountain Deaconess in the Helena Valley and Bill was Chairman of the Finance Committee when the campus was built on South Lamborn Street.
As a shoe retailer, he joined the National Shoe Retailers Association in 1949 and became its chairman in 1976. He was appointed by the United States Commerce Department to promote business and resources in the retail field. He traveled to France, Finland, Holland, England, Portugal and South Africa on behalf of the Retail Footwear Council.
Bill enjoyed finding his family history and genealogy. He enjoyed playing piano and organ, boating, snowmobiling, scuba diving and motorcycling. Motorcycle tours were made in Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Spain, Yugoslavia, Greece, Hungary and New Zealand. He joined the Helena Friendship Force Club and made home stays with families in Germany, Ireland, Japan, Philippines, Russia, Sweden and different American States.
Bill’s best friend and wife Louise, died at age forty-nine. Together they raised four sons. Louis Miles of Portland, Oregon; Loren (Kathy) Miles of Rapid City, South Dakota; Mark (Cathy) Miles of Ft. Collins, Colorado and Steve (Bernie) Miles of Helena. He has five grandchildren; Billy(Kelsey), David, Tommy(Jessica) all of Ft. Collins; Allison and Graham of Bozeman. And two Great Grand children, Reagan and Hudson both from Ft. Collins.
At his request, there will be no formal service. A private graveside service will take place August 30th at 2:30 PM in Forestvale Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Intermountain Children’s Home, 500 South Lamborn, Helena, MT 59601. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Bill.
Service Schedule
Graveside Service
2:30 pm
Tuesday August 30, 2016
Forestvale Cemetery
490 Forestvale Road
Helena , Montana
Service Schedule
Graveside Service
2:30 pm
Tuesday August 30, 2016
Forestvale Cemetery
490 Forestvale Road
Helena , Montana
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Amy Herrington says
Bernie and Steve,
With deepest sympathy to you and your family for the loss of your father.
Sincerely,
Amy Herrington
Charlie Schulz says
Thinking of your family
The Schulz’s
Brenda (Gloege) Schnittgen says
Loren, Kathy, Allison, Graham and the rest of the family,
So sorry for you loss. May you find comfort in in all the cherished memories that you have.
Love and miss you all!
Linda Matthews says
Miles Family,
So sorry for your your loss. Gamers was the first job I ever had and I loved it. Your whole family was so good to me. Bill is in my prayers as is each of you.
Jeff Mortensen says
Loren, Steve, Louie, and Mark – Many fond memories of Bill and Louise growing up in the neighborhood with the Miles boys. Pretty much free-range and un-supervised as I recall. Later, Bills office in the Capitol Hill Mall was always a destination while home from college during breaks and holidays. Bill helped me with a good word when applying for my first job in the financial industry, which has been my living for nearly 40 years. I’ll be forever grateful for that.
Tim Clavin says
Loren and family,
Your father led a very long and productive life. My deepest condolences.
Lorri Mullen says
Steve, Bernie, Loren, Louis, Mark and families,
I am so sorry about the passing of your father. I so enjoyed getting to know him over the past couple of years. While I know these last few years were probably difficult for him at times, I hope that he was comfortable. He lived a very impressive business life, though I know his joy was his family. I had no idea of how well traveled he was! He had a very funny and dry sense of humor. I only wished I would have known him earlier. Please know you are all in my thoughts and prayers.
John & Marilyn Rice says
Lou, Loren, Mark and Steve: We send you and the extended Miles family our deepest sympathies and well wishes for your loss. Marilyn and I were such great fans of your wonderful Father over the years. In all of the many times we visited him, he was always the gracious host with his generosity and great ideas for activities and adventures. He had such a pleasant, genuine and kind personality, always thinking of others. We’ll miss his wonderful dry sense of humor, wit and his always being the raconteur. I’m sure he will have many more “oh be joyfuls”. We will miss you, but, you live on in our memories. R.I.P. Bill!
skip hatveldt says
Loren, Kathy and Steve, Bernie
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. I have many pleasant memories of your father over
the years working at Gamer’s.
Skip and Lynda Hatveldt
Sandi Benson says
Sorry to read of your dads passing. I will always remember his smile and kind words at Gamers in the mall. My mom said always said what a great man he was and highly respected him. He has left a great and very proud legacy here in Helena. May the days ahead bring you all peace. Sandi Coyle & Dan Benson
Ken Dunham & Janelle Fallan says
Very sorry to read of Bill’s passing. He was a kind and gentle person and the times our families spent together were always enjoyable. Our prayers are with you all in celebration of his long and meaningful life.
Patty Seaser says
As good friends of Mark and Cathy Miles here in Colorado, it’s obvious that Mark carries the dry-humor gene that his father had. And that’s a very good thing. I never met Bill, but after reading his obituary I can gather from the full and rich and adventurous life he led that he was someone I would have loved to have known one-on-one. His obituary fleshed out a life where family, friends, business, and travel were paramount, arenas where he devoted his love and devotion to ultimately reap great dividends. I know his Colorado family, as well as all of Mark’s brothers and their families, will keep paying the Miles goodness forward. Sympathy to you all as your pay your final respects in honoring a life very well lived.
Richard L Thompson says
On behalf of Sigma Chi Fraternity, I want to express great appreciation for Bill as a person and brother. The world is a better place because of him
All honor to his name.
Karen Eck Sawyer says
Loren and family,
Read of your dad’s passing in the Helana paper today. I learned so much reading about him. What an incredible life and what a great man. Sending you thoughts and prayers!
Karen Eck Sawyer
Austin, TX
David Greger says
My mother was Elsie Jane (E. Jay) Gamer Greger and was a first cousin to Bill. (Mom’s father, Walter Gamer was a sister to Bill’s mother, Ada.) We have all appreciated his interest in our family history and in his long continuation of the family legacy of keeping Montana feet in quality shoes!
On behalf of my father, Leonard Greger ( now 94) my brother Ken, my sister Gay and our extended family I would like to offer our deepest condolences and a wish that you will be sustained by the wonderful memories you have of Bill. With kindest regards,
David Greger says
My grandfather, Walter Gamer, was a BROTHER to Bills’s mother! Sorry about the error above!
Arlene Nicholson Diehl says
I learned a lot about your Did that I never knew— It appears that he lived a full life. Hoping that getting everyone together is a time of happy remembrances.
Kyle Kuntz says
Bill had be a patient of our for years! We will sure miss him ! Condolences to the family
John E. Andrew says
What a long and great life, my condolences to the Miles family . . . I feel fortunate to have met him through Loren, a classmate but equally so to have met all the rest of you. Good luck breaking Bill’s benchmark.
Dean and Carolyn Chaussee says
I just learned that my buddy Bill has passed on. What a great neighbor he was and a great friend. We were honored to know him and enjoy his neighborliness and hospitality, along with yours, Bernie and Steve. Our prayers are with you and your family. Sending love and hugs.
Phillip Storm says
Loren, I apologize for the two year delay, but did not know of your Dad’s passing until this week. my friend said he was going out to Helena and I told him to look your Dad up because I knew he would welcome him. Unfortunately, he sent me a text of your Dad’s obituary.
Loren,and extended family, I met your Dad through the Shoes Associated group and I liked and had great respect for him immediately. Although he was almost 20 years my senior, The shoe business seemed to put us all on the same playing field. Then when I found out that he loved to ride motorcycles, it made us have an even warmer relationship. I loved to hear about the European tours which I always dreamed of doing,but to date have not yet found the time.
Probably our most memorable time was the meeting at Burch’s when we stayed on the coast at Yahatz. I still have the picture of all of us standing at the oceans edge in Oregon.
I know that your Dad continues to be missed by all of you as well as the many businesses and organizations that he was associated with.
May god continue to bless you all.