TOPSHAM — Arville “Bing” Miller, on the evening of September 20, 2012, Bing left this world for his eternal peace after a long, lingering illness, and less than three weeks after his 88th birthday.

He was born in Saltville, VA on September 3, 1924, the son of Samuel M and Susie Arnold Miller. He attended Allison Gap grammar school and graduated from Saltville High School in the class of 1942. While in school he played football and basketball, was in the Dramatics Club and played the lead in the Senior Play. He was also a member of the school Glee Club.

He joined the Navy shortly after Pearl Harbor and went on active duty on June 7, 1942, receiving his boot training in Norfolk, VA, and advanced training in aircraft maintenance in Quonset Point, RI. On December 26, 1942 he came to Portland, ME where anti-submarine patrols were being flown out of the Municipal Airport. Then, on January 26, 1943 he came to Brunswick where the Naval Air Station was being built. The first operational flight took off that afternoon when two OS2U3 Kingfisher aircraft flew the in-shore antisubmarine patrol. Most of his experience was with the PV-3 aircraft as a mechanic and flight crew member. He served twenty two months at BNAS and then with a carrier air service unit in Oceana, VA, then being honorably discharged in November, 1945.

He was married to Concettina D’Alessio on March 18, 1944 in St. Paul’s church in Brunswick.

After his discharge from the Navy, he returned to Maine and worked as a refrigeration service technician until 1952 when he went to work as a firefighter at BNAS until his retirement in 1979 with the rank of Captain.

While living in Topsham, he played on the Topsham Townies softball and basketball teams. He was a member of the Topsham Volunteer Fire Department, having joined the department in 1946. He was a member of the United Baptist Church, serving as Usher, a member of the Board of Deacons and the Board of Trustees for many years. Most recently, he was Chairman of the Board of Finance.

He is survived by his wife Concettina of Topsham, his son Wayne and his wife Gaye of Topsham, grandson Jason and his wife Gail of Natick, MA, grandson Garrett and his wife Chandra of Marlborough, MA, great-grandchildren Kateri Miller and Thatcher Miller, and nieces and nephews in Virginia.

Arrangements are by Kincer Funeral Home. There will be no visiting hours. A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 29, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the United Baptist Church in Topsham, followed by interment in Rogers Cemetery, Topsham. Memorial contributions may be made to the United Baptist Church, Topsham.



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