Harold E. Miles, Sr., 89, of Carrollton GA, passed away at home surrounded by family and close friends, on Wednesday, December 4, 2019.

Born at home, June 29, 1930 to Newman and Nellie Miles, Harold was the quintessential sharecropper’s son. At that time, the cost of a home birth was $50. His parents only had $25, so Dr. Smith was paid $25 and took the family mule. This was the beginning of the unique journey of a truly incredible man.

Harold’s early childhood was spent at home tending the family farm-plowing a mule, planting, tending farm animals, chopping firewood, picking cotton, and helping take care of his siblings; Rodger, Robert, and Helen. This is where he established his remarkable work ethic and the ability to overcome hardships.

Harold was drafted into the United States Army on March 15,1951, where he fought on the front lines in Korea. Honorably discharged as an E-6 in March of 1953, he returned home and attended West Georgia College, Georgia State, and the University of Georgia Pharmacy School. He married and had two children, Harold Miles, Jr. and Debbie Miles Neal.
After leaving college he established a career in construction as his father’s apprentice. He then worked, in the trade, as a brick mason building and remodeling houses. For years Harold struggled with alcoholism; a disease that took him on many of life’s twisted, dark, and difficult roads.

In 1975 Harold left Carrollton for Houston, Texas to find a new life path. It was in Texas that he found sobriety and a peace that he had not been able to find before. He then returned to Carrollton and his life of sobriety took him on an entirely different journey. He was instrumental in starting the first Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in West Georgia, where he met Dr. Mary Ryan-soon to be his wife-Mary Miles. He also gained a new daughter, Peggy, whom he loved as well. He opened a new tool rental business, West Georgia Rents, he claimed “with nothing more than a burning desire to succeed, a few tools, and some chains to rent to homeowners” in the late 1970’s.

After finding sobriety, everything turned around. He began to find meaning and love for his new life, new business and family. He also found he had an ability to write and was asked to pen a weekly article for the Times-Georgian with his perspective of life. He became a local celebrity through his insightful musings. In the 1980’s he even started his own local based “Harold Miles for President campaign.” Though it was unsuccessful-he had quite a good time in the process, with bumper stickers all over the county.

West Georgia Rents thrived and he returned to his love of engineering and building, and constructed “The Bridge House” over Centralhatchee Creek.

His and Mary’s love and appreciation for different cultures resulted in extensive world travels to places like Peru, Russia, Italy, China and Spain.

Harold loved to read, to write, to ask the hard questions of why something is the way it is; and had an insatiable appetite for learning and understanding life’s mysteries and was an incredible storyteller with a remarkable memory.

He loved his vast array of friends that met for breakfast at Pollard’s or Jerry’s and their constant bantering, stories and tales. He loved to play cards-which he was very savvy at. And loved to play golf-which he was terrible at, but continued to play nonetheless.

He touched countless lives in the recovery community which was very instrumental in maintaining his own sobriety. At Mary and Debbie’s urging he took his writing skills to a new level. He became an accomplished author and had three books published. The first, ‘The Devil and Uncle Will’, ‘Bad Ol Boy’ and his last, ‘The Lunacy Hearing’, which described many events of his life.

Harold retired after selling West Georgia Rents to United Rentals. He continued to enjoy writing, traveling, having stimulating conversation with close friends like Randy Meigs and Ken Askin; spinning tales, story telling, solving world problems, and the most important thing of his life-enjoying spending time with his family. He loved his children and his grandchildren and has always been there for them with his advice, love, and support. He loved spending time with his brother and nephews and nieces. He loved deep and he loved a lot of people from all walks of life. When he passed he had accomplished 43 years of sobriety.

After finding Facebook on his phone, he began writing again in the daily posts we all looked forward to. He also found a new love via Facebook—Sandra Yearty. They spent their time laughing, talking, and were constant companions to the very end of his life.

There will never be another man quite like Harold Miles, Sr. He loved to wear his pajamas wherever he went and genuinely loved to be himself. He was unique, original, talented, honest, funny, creative, inquisitive, eccentric, brilliant, and loved by a lot of people.

Harold is survived by his children, Harold Miles Jr., Debbie Miles Neal and Peggy Miles; his grandchildren, Justin Keaton, Brittany Miles Richards, Michelle Miles Mentzer and Miles Neal; his great-grandchildren, Jackson Mentzer, Griffin Mentzer, Tripp Richards, Ethan Richards, Sidney Richards and his newest, Milo Hogan Neal.

He was proceeded in death by his father, Robert Newman Miles; his mother, Nellie Robinson Miles; his siblings, Robert Kenneth Miles, Helen Miles Reid and his beloved brother who passed in February of this year, Rodger Miles.

In accordance with his wishes, Harold will be cremated. The service for close friends and family will be at Martin & Hightower Funeral Home in Carrollton at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, December 11th. A Celebration of his life will be held at The Venue on Cedar, Wednesday, December 11, 2019 from 5:30-7:30 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking you to donate in the name of Harold Miles, Sr. to Carroll County Mental Health Advocates, Attn: Jodie Goodman, 306 Bradley Street, Carrollton, GA 30117. Donations can be made via PayPal to cmhadvocacy@gmail.com.

Harold’s presence will be missed by the community, all his friends and especially his family.To send flowers to the family of Harold E. Miles, please visit Tribute Store.