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 Gerard E. Miller, 77
 May 29, 2015
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Gerard E. Miller, 77, of Velma Avenue died Friday evening, May 29, 2015, at Berkshire Medical Center.
Mr. Miller was a longtime city firefighter and 12-year chairman of the Traffic Commission.
Born in Pittsfield on Oct. 11, 1937, son of Andrew J. and Alice E. Ford Miller, he attended the former Pomeroy and St. Joseph's grammar schools and was a 1956 graduate of Pittsfield High School. He was awarded his associate's degree in fire science from Berkshire Community College in 1988.
An Army veteran, he enlisted and served until his discharge from the Army Reserve.
Mr. Miller was first appointed as a provisional firefighter for the city by then Mayor Raymond L. Haughey, with his appointment becoming permanent the following year. During his career, he had been assigned to each one of the city's fire stations. He was elevated to the post of lieutenant in 1973 and was head of the Fire Prevention Bureau for his last 10 years of service, retiring in 2002.
A longtime communicant of the former St. Teresa's Church, he served on the Parish Council. His personal hobbies included hunting and fishing and tending to his very large garden.
He was a 30-year member and current chairman of the Pittsfield Retirement Board. He also was a member and past president and secretary of the Massachusetts Association of Contributory Retirement Systems. A corporator of the Boys & Girls Club of Pittsfield, he was chairman of the board of MyCom Federal Credit Union for several years and also served on the board of Wild Acres conservation area.
Mr. Miller served for 18 years as first president of Local 2647 International Association of Fire Fighters and was secretary for many years for the Berkshire County Labor Council, which named him Labor Man of the Year in 1986. He also was member of the board of directors of the Massachusetts Fire Prevention Association in Lynn.
In addition to all the years of public service and volunteerism, his genuine interest in others fueled his interactions amongst family, friends, brother firefighters as well as other public servants. His passion for food and dining out also served to highlight his friendliness whether here, on a state level and certainly while vacationing.
Most of all, he was a firefighter to the core.
His wife, the former Joan M. Cullen, whom he married in St. Teresa's Church on Nov. 21, 1964, died Sept. 14, 2014.
He leaves four sons, Timothy M. Miller and his wife, Sarah, of Pittsfield, Gerard E. Miller Jr. and his wife, Elaine, of Tyringham, Andrew J. Miller and his wife, Paula, of Lee and Patrick J. Miller of Danvers; a daughter, Mary E. Kinne and her husband, Chris, of Lee; his brother, Andrew J. Miller of Lawrence; 11 grandchildren, Alyssa, Michael, Norah and Matthew, Samantha, Hannah and Jordan, Quinn and Olivia, Halle and Ellie, and Meghan, Colin and Aubrey, and a great-grandchild, Landon.
He was predeceased by his two sisters, Margaret Benjamin and Eleanor Beitzel.
FUNERAL NOTICE — Services for Mr. Miller will be held Wednesday morning, June 3, at 9:15 from Devanny-Condron Funeral Home, followed by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10 at St. Charles' Church with the Rev. Peter A. Gregory, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in St. Joseph's Cemetery.
Calling hours will be Tuesday, June 2, from 3 to 7. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to either the Pittsfield Boys & Girls Club or HospiceCare in the Berkshires, both in care of the funeral home
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