William "Bill" Simson Miller

William S. "Bill" Miller a longtime law enforcement officer in Calcasieu Parish, died at 6:00 AM Sunday at his residence. Mr. Miller was a native of Crowley and graduated from Ross High School before moving to Lake Charles where he found work in the sawmills and later the construction industry. It was the love of law enforcement and the desire to help others that drew him into the Calcasieu Parish Civil Defense where he worked for ten years. In his time art the Civil Defense he attended F.B.I. training schools in Boston and Quantico, Virginia as well as McNeese State University. While with the Civil Defense he worked part-time for the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office during the administration of Henry A. "Ham" Reid. In 1974 he joined the Calcasieu Parish Sherriff's Department full time, enrolling at the Southwest Louisiana Law Enforcement Training Center. His career at the Sheriff's Office would span a total of 38 years before retiring in 2004. After a few months of retirement, the lure of law enforcement brought him to the Ward Three Marshal's Office where he would spend the next nine years before finally retiring. Bill loved working in the community helping to establish many local programs including the D.A.R.E., COPS, and Neighborhood watch programs as well as many other local programs for which he received national recognition. He was a member of the Magnolia Peace Officers Association as well as a former member of the Louisiana Sheriff's Association. Although he loved law enforcement, Bill was very active in his church. He was baptized in St. Theresa's Catholic Church in Crowley and in Lake Charles joined the North side Baptist Church under the ministry of Rev. Darius Lemelle. He later became a member of the Refuge Temple Ministries. In all of the churches Bill led an active leadership role serving as a deacon and various church boards. Even though he was involved in the community he still had time to spend with his family cooking, fishing, and working in his garden. Mr. Miller leaves to cherish his memory his loving wife and devoted wife, Genevia Thomas Miller. From the union of his two m marriages he had eleven children, David Lynn and Billy Ray Miller, Clifton Green, Chad and William Lastrapes all of Lake Charles; six daughters, Abby Rosamore, Verna Ruffin, Karen Sylvester, Angelic and Dasia Miller all of Lake Charles and Bernice Miller of Dallas. He is also survived by three sisters, Mary Ann Miller Gray of Crowley, Susan Miller of Rayne, and Shelia Miller of Lake Charles. He is also survived by fifteen grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. His parents, August Miller, Sr. and Pearl Paul Miller, two daughters, Diana E. Charles and Elta Beth Miller, a brother August Miller, Jr., and a sister Dorothy Mae Miller Dugar, preceded him in death. Mr. Miller will be buried with full Sheriff's Department Honors beginning at 11:00 AM Friday, December 6, at the Refuge Temple Ministries on Sprig St. The Rev. Horace Fontenot will officiate. Interment will be in Combre Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home. Visitation will begin at the church at 9:00 AM Friday at the church.