 |
         |
 |
Bill Miller Bill Miller was a one of Cowan's most beloved citizens and best known for his career with Duck River Electric. The Bill Miller Community Center, also known as the Scout House, is named in his memory. The following two articles were part of the KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS series published by The Cowan Bell: Cowan Bell, Volume III, No. 3, February 5, 1976, by Linda Cantrell: This week's mystery neighbor was born in Grundy County on January 14, 1926. He was brought up in Viola, Tennessee and lived in Maury County for a while. He had five brothers and three sisters. At the age of nine, his mother died leaving him with three younger brothers to care for. Our mystery neighbor quit school and took charge of his youngest brother, still in diapers and taking a bottle, and two other brothers. He continued housekeeping until he turned sixteen. At that age his father signed for him to go to C.C.C. Camp and he left for Stevenson, Alabama. His wife remembers how she first met her husband. She was working at a silk mill when a good-looking boy unloaded light poles across the railroad track. At lunch she gathered with friends to eat under a tree. The mystery neighbor started whistling and his intended would whistle back, never dreaming that she would meet him. About three days later this lady, her sister and brother-in-law were walking down the street and who appeared but our whistling mystery neighbor! The brother-in-law introduced them; they started dating and were married ten months later. Do you know our whistling neighbor? (L.C.) Cowan Bell, Volume III, No. 4, February 19, 1976, by Linda Cantrell: Bill Miller, did you recognize yourself? The last issue left you getting married to Dot in a double ceremony with your wife's brother and sister-in-law on March 14, 1945. You had a two-room apartment for about two years and then bought a house in McMinnville. Bill and his wife (like most young couples) did not have a lot to spend on entertainment, so they often embroidered, and one night Bill said, "Why don't we learn to crochet?" Our mystery neighbor, never having crocheted before, got two pieces of wire, filed them down to make needles and politely taught his wife to crochet. Is there no end to this man's talents? He, having a pick-up truck, was asked to help deliver Christmas baskets. After seeing that most of the baskets went to well-to-do homes, he stopped delivering them and started cooking turkeys, hams, and all sorts of food and took them to the needy instead. Bill and his wife, Dot, and then a son, David, all moved to Cowan on Sept. 1st, 1955. He has worked for 25 years for Duck River. The cooking from Bill's kitchen is a treat for several of Cowan's citizens. Coach Bryant and Coach Majors are just a few who have sampled his fine cooking. Bill will cook about anything except custards, with good reason. One Sunday morning, while his wife and their company were at church, he made two egg custards. When they started to eat them, his wife said, "Bill, you are supposed to put the crust on the bottom!" Bill told her that if she ever got another custard pie it sure as heck would not come from his kitchen! So no more egg custards are cooked in that famous kitchen. The following shows you what the people of Cowan feel for Bill Miller. When he recently had surgery in Nashville, he received over 250 cards and over 60 phone calls. This shows you how much we, the people of Cowan, respect and admire you, Bill. (L.C.) |
|