William Miller

On Easter Sunday morning, April 20th, 2025, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, William "Bill" Pius Miller, peacefully passed away at the age of 93.

Born on December 5, 1931, in Somerset, Ohio, Bill was the youngest of the ten children of John and Mary King Miller. Bill graduated from Holy Trinity School in 1950 and attended The Ohio State University for one year until he joined the United States Air Force in 1951 during the Korean Conflict. He was stationed at Ellsworth Air Force base in South Dakota as a turret mechanic on the B-36 bomber, nicknamed the “Peacemaker”; the largest mass-produced piston-engine combat aircraft ever built. After his discharge in 1954, Bill was employed as a prison guard at Junction City Prison, where one of his official duties for over a decade was to direct the annual Christmas pageant. In the late 1960’s and for the next 30 years, he was a county health inspector in Morgan and Muskingum Counties. Bill was a people-person and storyteller, deeply cherishing his family, friends, and community. He was also an avid sports fan loyally following The Ohio State Buckeyes, Cleveland Guardians, and Cincinnati Reds. Bill had an innate ability to quote sports statistics and players from the 1950’s and beyond.

In 1964, Bill married the love of his life, Nancy, and they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on August 1, 2024. He and Nancy navigated life and their family with a primary focus on Christian discipleship. Together they raised Alice, Dennis, and Holly, centering their home on the love of Christ. Bill was a faithful and active member of Central Trinity United Methodist Church for over 50 years, serving as an usher, and on many committees.

After retirement, Bill focused on community service, volunteering in the spiritual care department at Genesis Healthcare Systems for 25 years. He had a magnetic personality, never met a stranger, and cherished relationships with others.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy (Zinsmeister) Miller; children, Alice (Michael) Momenee, Dennis (Rachel) Miller, and Holly (Andrew) Ruetz; grandchildren, Kaitlyn (Ronen) Frank, Nicholas Momenee, Grace Momenee, Lucas Ruetz and Evelyn Ruetz; siblings, Betty Vittorio and Tom Miller; along with multiple nieces, nephews, and other cherished family.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings, Delores Probasco, Don Miller, Francis Miller, Jim Miller, John Miller, Robert Miller, and Margaret “Peg” Reall.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt "thank you" to the medical staff at Genesis Hospital and The Oaks at Northpointe who lovingly cared for Bill, and much gratitude to next door neighbors, Pat and Shari Shreve, who have been a tremendous help for many years.

Visitation will take place at Bryan-Hardwick Funeral Home, 2318 Maple Ave, Zanesville, on Wednesday, April 23rd, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Funeral services will be held at Central Trinity United Methodist Church, 62 S 7th St, Zanesville, on Thursday, April 24th, at 11:00 AM, with an additional visitation at the church starting at 10:00 AM before the funeral. Interment with Military Honors will follow at Zanesville Memorial Park Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Bill’s memory to the Central Trinity United Methodist Church Memorial Fund.