Winifred E. Miles Obituary (1927 - 2012)

GUILFORD, ME - After a long battle with Parkinson's Disease, Winifred Evelyn Miles, 84, passed away October 4, 2012, surrounded by the love and support of her family and friends. She was born in Sangerville, Maine November 29, 1927, a daughter of Lester and Hester (Goodell) Moulton, Sr. One of 8 children, and a child of the Depression Era, Winifred had to leave school early to work and help support her family. A woman of incredible personal strength and character, Winifred set a goal for herself to one day go back to school and earn her diploma. After raising her own family of 5 children, she did exactly that earning straight A's along the way. Indeed, Winifred so embraced the value of education that she took numerous classes in typing, accounting, and bookkeeping over her lifetime. December 8,1945 Winifred married Kenneth Warren Miles, and for 54 years she was his partner in life, partner in business, and deeply devoted wife. A lifelong teetotaler, Winifred had her first taste of champagne in celebration of her 50th wedding anniversary. Celebrating her 50th wedding anniversary was one of her great personal goals in life and she thoroughly enjoyed her surprise party surrounded by family and friends. Being a very detail orientated person, Winifred excelled in her role of bookkeeper and accountant within K.W.Miles, Inc., her husband's construction firm. Both Winifred and her husband Kenneth prided themselves on creating beautiful homes while maintaining the highest standards of workmanship and integrity. Winifred was an active member in the Valley Grange of Guilford and the local chapter of the Rebekahs for many years and held a number of offices. She also enjoyed her many grandchildren and great grandchildren and cherished the many family barbeques that celebrated birthdays, graduations, and other special family events. The refrigerator in her kitchen was always covered with artwork created by the children in the family, and it was affectionately displayed for the rest of the world to enjoy. Extremely talented at ceramics, Winifred took many classes learning to paint fine features on figurines such as faces, eyes, and even eyelashes. Each season her home was decorated with numerous ceramic scenes, villages, and figures she personally had created. She tailor made many ceramics for family members that reflected their personal tastes and interests. She also enjoyed knitting, crocheting, and other crafts. Winifred enjoyed a green thumb and particularly loved flowers of all kinds. For many years she created and maintained a variety of flower beds surrounding her home. Her favorite flowers were Black Eyed Susans and Tiger Lilies and she especially enjoyed the smell of lilacs in the spring. One of the things that brought her immense joy were the wild flower bouquets that her grandchildren and great grandchildren would gather from the pastures surrounding the family home. She would proudly display them in an heirloom ruby red colored vase on the family kitchen table for all to see. Her love of flowers led her to a love of birds, especially hummingbirds and blue birds. She hung many hummingbird feeders around her home testing which designs drew the most birds. Many years she had nests of hummingbirds and blue birds surrounding her home and took great pleasure in watching each season of new families take flight. Many family and friends would come to her home to watch the hummingbirds and take pictures of them in flight. Eventually, the hummingbird became synonymous with Winifred and very much represented who she was as a person: hard working, active, and beautiful. Survivors include: a son, Dennis Miles, and his wife Shirley, from Sioux Falls, SD; a daughter-in-law, Barbara Kivlin-Miles, widow of Steven Miles, from Lisbon Falls, ME; a daughter, Kenene Wintle from Manchester, NH; a son, Jerris Miles, and his wife Glenda Iverson, from Yankton, SD; a son Tallus Miles, and his wife Anita, from Lewiston, ME; 14 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren, and many loving nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, Kenneth Miles, her son, Steven Miles, a sister, Gertrude Clukey Anderson, and a brother, Lester Moulton, Jr. A memorial service will be held 11 AM Wednesday, October 10, 2012, at the Guilford United Methodist Church, with Pastor Stephen Dean officiating. Burial will be in the Lawn Cemetery in Guilford. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Maine Parkinson Society, 359 Perry Road, Bangor, ME 04401. Arrangements by Crosby & Neal, Guilford.