David E. Miles

Obituary
David Edward Miles, 89, passed away at home on Monday, Nov. 14 of a long illness. Dave Miles was known to many residents and schoolchildren of Wilbraham and Hampden as “The Funny Hat Man” for his humorous collection of hats he wore as the town news photographer for The Wilbraham-Hampden Times.

But Dave Miles was more than just “The Funny Hat Man”. He was one of the few non-Rotarians to be named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Wilbraham-Hampden Rotary Club in 2016 for “appreciation of his outstanding photography skills contributing to the community spirit of Wilbraham and Hampden, and its schoolchildren.” A U.S. Army combat veteran in the Korean War, he was named Veteran of the Year in 2021 by the Wilbraham Veterans Agent. More than any award Miles could earn, he was described by co-workers, friends and family as a kind, loving man who would do anything for anybody. “I want to put a smile on people’s faces,” he always said.

Born in Pittsburg and attending high school in Pennsylvania he moved to Alabama and never lost his southern accent. He left home after living with his grandmother to see the world at age 17. Miles planned to hitchhike to California but paused in Dimming, N.M. to register for the draft. Seeing that he was about to be called up, he joined the Army and went to Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas for  Basic Training and Advanced Training on artillery.

In 1950 American Army forces, acting as United Nations troops, had been driven down to the southeastern tip of the Korean peninsula by the invading North Korean enemy to a fraction of land called the Pusan Perimeter.

Under Army World War II hero General Douglas MacArthur, Miles’ unit was part of the fighting to retake the peninsula.  The Americans finally fought their way to Seoul, the capital of South Korea, which was not that far from the border with North Korea. Then it was on to the 38th Parallel where the Americans halted. Miles manned a foxhole on Pork Chop Hill, the famous battle between Americans and the Chinese and North Koreans. When he was still in his teens, he remembers Communist Chinese and North Korean troops “screaming and hollering,” with bugles blowing as they charged towards his rifle position at the top of Pork Chop Hill towards the end of the War in 1953. “We would fire flares over them; they kept charging up the hill and we kept firing as fast as we could,” he said.

After being discharged from the Army he traveled to Hawaii and worked in many different jobs, and as a truck driver, then traveled to Alaska to work on the new Alaskan Pipeline as a cook. During his journeys he met up with a couple from Springfield, Mass. who asked him to visit if he was in the area. He decided to go to Springfield. The couple ran a half-way house for wounded veterans. While he was staying with them, the house’s cook didn’t show up one morning so, since he had done a lot of cooking in Alaska, he stepped in and became their cook for a period of time.

Later on, he started a successful rug cleaning business in Springfield, Then, he moved to Wilbraham in 1989 and said he made a good move when he married his wife, Joan (Morehouse) who lived in Wilbraham.

He became interested in photography and had done some freelance news photo work for The Reminder. He photographed President Bill Clinton when the presidential candidate campaigned in Court Square and made the mistake of telling the Secret Service guard, “I’m here to shoot the president.” Photograph him, not fire at him. They didn’t get the joke, he had said.

He came to work for Charlie Bennett, editor of the new Wilbraham-Hampden Times in 2003 and started wearing his trademark funny hats to make grammar school students feel more comfortable and drew smiles while photographing them.

Over time Miles became the most recognizable character in town as he shot photos in both Wilbraham and Hampden for features and stand-alone pictures in the popular Community Gallery section in each issue. In his 80s he covered events such as the Minnechaug Graduation and was up all night at its after party; he was in the middle of the 2011 tornado covering the Minnechaug Prom. He loved to be there at everyday town events like town meetings, open houses, the Peach Festival, bottle drives and car washes. He was present at every 250th Anniversary event like the digging up of the Time Capsule, the Ball and the 250th Parade.  When he wasn’t on assignment, he would do some “photo barnstorming” stopping when he saw cars outside a home and offering to photograph the party. He was an avid golfer and loved the Red Sox, Patriots and boxing.

Miles was a Shriner for many years and volunteered to transport a visiting doctor from Bradley Airport to the Shriners Hospital in Springfield. He also volunteered for the Wilbraham Senior Center.

In addition to his loving wife Joan Miles of 31 years he leaves his stepdaughters Lori Shea of East Longmeadow and Kimberly Yanuskiewicz of N. Carolina. He leaves stepsons Kenneth Morehouse of Westfield and Allen Morehouse of Springfield. He leaves two step-grandchildren Nicholas Shea and Jessica Shea. He misses his Yorkie dog Emma. Calling hours are 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21 at Wilbraham Funeral Home, 2551 Boston Rd., Wilbraham. The funeral will be held at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22 at Wilbraham Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the Mass. Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam. Donations in Dave’s name may be made to Beacon Hospice, 815 Worcester Str., Springfield, MA, 01151.

PLEASE CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK TO VIEW A VIDEO OF DAVID MILES FUNERAL CEREMONY: https://vimeo.com/773951606



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