Robert Waverly Miller

Robert Waverly Miller (also known as Bobby, Uncle Bobby, Rab, and Bob), 77, of Rotonda West, Fla., formerly of Piscataway, N.J., went to be with the Lord on May 4, 2014. He was born Sept. 6, 1936, in Richmond, Va., to the late Cassie and Viola Miller. The family moved to Pittsburgh, Penn., when he was two years old. In 1948, they relocated to Newark, N.J. He graduated from Barringer High School in 1955 and joined the U.S. Air Force. He completed basic training at Sampson Air Force Base during a frigid winter in upstate New York, after which he vowed to move to Florida someday. He was stationed at Langley (Va.) Air Force Base and in Okinawa, Japan. After his tour of duty ended in 1958, he returned to Newark where he attended Rutgers University and was employed by the U.S. Postal Service. In 1964, Robert met and later married the love of his life, Verna Carolyn Elder. They have one daughter, Charlotte Odessa, and two grandsons, Robert Anthony Miller and Kaleb Anthony Rowan Jones. Robert received Christ and was baptized at an early age in Pittsburgh. Later, when he was 10 years old, the family moved to Newark, where he became an active member of the Mount Zion Baptist Church. In 1973, Robert moved his family to Piscataway, N.J., where he joined the Second Baptist Church of Metuchen, N.J. There, he served as a trustee, treasurer and choir member. To know Robert is to know that he loved sports and was a loyal fan. His football team was the Giants, his basketball team was the Knicks and his baseball team was the Yankees. For one season, he had season tickets for the Giants, Jets, Generals and the Knicks. Now, these were his favorite teams, but he also cheered for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Atlanta Falcons and the Atlanta Hawks. Do you see the thread here? He felt that if you lived in an area and liked sports you should support your local franchise. It drove him crazy that a person living in New York or New Jersey would be a Dallas Cowboys fan. His love of sports was dwarfed only by his love of travel. He retired from the Postal Service in 1992 as Manager of Quality Control after 38 years of service. Robert and Verna travelled extensively over the years and upon Verna's retirement in 2003, they moved to Florida. Robert was a cheerleader for his family, his church family and his friends. He supported everybody in such a way that you knew he was in your corner and was rooting for you. It was all about love, enthusiasm and showing up, whether it was for countless graduations and weddings, recitals, plays, awards ceremonies, sports events or martial arts classes, he was always there. He was especially proud of the military careers of family members, the accomplishments of his family and friends in education, music, journalism, business, and in obtaining advanced degrees. Whether connected by birth, marriage or friendship, he celebrated your success. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Verna; adoring daughter, Charlotte; grandsons, Robert and Kaleb; brothers, Cassie and Leon (Everette); sisters, Marie (Calvert) Fareira and Leona; four sisters-in-law, two brothers-in-law and a host of nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Patricia Viola Beverly. Visitation will be held at First Baptist Church of Englewood on Saturday, May 17, 2014 from 10:00-11:00AM with the funeral to immediately follow. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the First Baptist Church of Englewood, 278 S. Mango Street, Englewood, Florida 34223. Farley Funeral Home in North Port is handling the arrangements. To send condolences please visit www.farleyfuneralhome.com. Visitation Information Date: Saturday, May 17, 2014 Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am First Baptist Church of Englewood Address: 278 S. Mango Street, , Englewood, Florida, | Map Service Information Date: Saturday, May 17, 2014 Time: 11:00 am First Baptist Church of Englewood Address: 278 S. Mango Street, , Englewood, Florida, | Map Cemetery Information