Robert Wayne “Fish” Miller, 74, of Naperville, a former electronics engineer with AT&T and member of the Flying Tigers, a World War II fighter pilot squadron, died Sunday in Community Convalescent and Rehabilitation Center in Naperville.
Mr. Miller was born in Los Angeles while his parents were working on a short-term job, and his ancestors were early settlers of Naperville.
After graduating from Naperville High School in 1940, Mr. Miller went to work as a draftsman at Western Electric in Cicero. He went on to work in several capacities at AT&T and Bell Laboratories. He worked in the marketing division and was senior product planner in the cellular communications division at the company, updating telephone exchanges so they could take cellular telephone calls, said his wife, Patricia.
During the war, Mr. Miller received fighter pilot training and became a lieutenant. As a bomber escort stationed in India and China, he was a Flying Tiger, piloting P-47s and P-51s.
“He had to learn the aerobatics necessary to get out of tight spots, but never flew stunts in air shows,” his wife said.
After his retirement in 1975, Mr. Miller owned antiques businesses in Illinois and Wisconsin and became interested in 19th Century lighting. He restored the fixtures in the Century Memorial Chapel at the Naper Settlement in Naperville, where his memorial service will be held.
Other survivors include two sons, Gregg and Don; two daughters, Gwynne Tarr and Wendy Sabo; a brother; and six grandchildren.
A memorial service will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday in Central Memorial Chapel, in the Naper Settlement, Webster Street and Aurora Avenue, Naperville.
