- Date Of Birth: July 22, 1964
- Date Of Death: March 26, 2015
- State: Connecticut
Willard John Miles, “BJ”, 50, of Lake Hayward, East Haddam, passed away on March 26, 2015. Born in Hartford on July 22, 1964, he was the son of Willard Miles of East Haddam and Margaret (Porter) Miles O’Brien of East Windsor. In addition to his parents, he leaves his stepparents, Alice Miles and Robert O’Brien; his sister and brother-in-law, Roxanne and Richard Roy of East Haddam; nephew, Joshua Roy and niece, Chelsea Roy. BJ had numerous aunts, uncles and first and second cousins. He was especially close to his cousin, Scott Banta, with whom he spent countless hours while working on their cars. BJ had a quirky sense of humor that was enjoyed by those who knew him well and he had a quick but sometimes dry wit that will surely be missed by all those whose lives he touched. He grew up in Colchester and moved to the tight-knit Lake Hayward community in East Haddam in 1983. BJ truly paid it forward. With family and friends, he was always generous with his time and money. He was the best son a dad could ever have as he helped his father and stepmother out immensely. He had many friends, but especially enjoyed the company of a small group of friends – all nicknamed “Louie”. The Louie’s sometimes went for afternoon motorcycle rides and made an annual bike trip in June to Loudon, NH for Bike Week. The best Louie/friend in BJ’s life was Dave Haggerty. Close to the very end, Dave and BJ were always there for each other. Since 1986, BJ owned and operated Miles-Standish Auto Body on Standish Road in Colchester; often working seven days a week and sometimes through the night to get a customer back on the road. His many faithful customers were like an extended family. His most loyal customer was good friend and family member, Richie Verrill. BJ kept Richie’s fleet of vehicles running, almost like a personal mechanic. BJ had a knack for fixing cars and he was a genuine do-it-yourselfer. His first restoration was a 1965 Volkswagen Beetle. He learned his craft at a very young age from his father, Bill, and later at Windham Regional Vocational Technical School, graduating in 1982. At his tech school graduation, he drove his second restoration for the first time, a 1956 Cherry-red Ford pickup, much to the delight of his classmates. BJ was an avid fan of the UCONN Huskies Mens’ Basketball team. He also watched NASCAR racing, lately following the career of local driver, Joey Logano. BJ enjoyed saltwater fishing on his brother-in-law’s boat and on Lake Hayward whenever he had the opportunity, often having too much work to take the time off. Just happy to be out on the water, he sometimes appeared to be a hapless fisherman but often landed the catch of the day. BJ survived a horrific house fire in December of 2013, and, although he valiantly saved his dog, Nick from the fire, he was burned on over fifty percent of his body while trying to save his home. He spent three months in the Burn Unit and several weeks on the Physical Therapy floor at Bridgeport Hospital. He endured many skin grafts and other operations but persevered through the pain. Recently he completed seven weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatments for a rare form of Thymus Gland Cancer. Through all of this, BJ was a real trooper, never wanting to be a burden to others. All those who knew BJ are truly blessed and he will be remembered dearly.
