This obituary was originally published on Rogers & Breece Funeral Home.

Ed Miller passed away peacefully at home on June 17, 2026, at the age of 85, surrounded by the love of his family. Born on July 2, 1940, in Emerson, North Carolina, Ed spent his life in Fayetteville, a community he proudly called home. Growing up in the Massey Hill neighborhood and attending Massey Hill School throughout his formative years, his humble beginnings helped shape the values of hard work, faith, and devotion that guided him throughout his life. During his youth, he was involved in the Boy Scouts of America, where he achieved the rank of Life Scout, beginning a lifelong connection that continued through his son’s troop and later through his great-grandson’s troop.

One of the greatest blessings of Ed’s life began at an early age when he met the love of his life, Winnie. The two first met at ages 11 and 12 and remained inseparable from that moment forward. They married on June 28, 1959, at Victory Methodist Church and spent nearly 67 years building a life rooted in love, commitment, and family. Together, they built their home on Fairfield Road in 1974, creating a place where generations of memories would be made and where family always came first.

Ed dedicated an extraordinary 57 years to his career as a State Farm agent, retiring at age 80 in 2020. Throughout his years in business, he became much more than an insurance agent to many; he built lifelong relationships and helped countless families through the ups and downs of life. In addition to his work with State Farm, Ed worked as a general contractor and as a real estate broker through Miller & Associates. He was also an active member of the Kiwanis Club of Fayetteville.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Ed’s greatest pride and joy was always his family. Somehow, with every child, grandchild, and great-grandchild welcomed into the family, he found even more room in his heart. Alongside his family, he treasured life’s simplest moments — morning school rides, summers spent by the pool, and evenings filled with meals, laughter, and conversations with those he loved most.

Ed enjoyed old Western films, classic cars, traveling, and music from the 1950s that served as the soundtrack to his love story with Winnie. He could often be found tending to his yard or heading to the hardware store for his latest project, always taking pride in creating a beautiful home for his family.

Ed’s faith remained a constant throughout his life, shaping the kindness, strength, and love he poured into his family and those around him. He carried his beliefs with quiet humility and lived out his faith through the way he cared for others.

He is survived by his loving wife, Winnie Miller; his children, Lynn Kelly and Gregory Miller; his grandchildren, Kathryn Kelly and Wynne Long and her husband, Justin; and his great-grandchildren, Miller Long and Andrew Miller Long.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jerome Albert Miller and Mittie Lenora Swain; his brother, Doug Miller; and his grandson, Gregory Miller Jr.

The family will forever cherish the moments shared with Ed. Though he built a successful career and earned the respect of many throughout the community, his greatest titles were always
husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, June 20, 2026, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Rogers and Breece Funeral Home in Fayetteville, with the funeral service to follow at 2:00 p.m. A private family graveside service will follow the services.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation at www.macular.org.