Barbara Miles

Miles, a business leader, dies

An Alleghany County native who was active in business and community affairs died at her home on Hickory Mountain Road in Sparta on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 5.

Barbara Miller Miles, 73, was the wife and business partner of D.W. Miles for 55 years.

In addition to raising three daughters and a son, D.W. and Barbara Miles developed and operated Miles Auto Sales, Trojan Village Shopping Center, Miles Realty, Trojan Family Bowling and other commercial ventures in Sparta. She was instrumental in planning the June Sales Jamboree for 50 years.

Mrs. Miles is survived by her husband and their children. A complete list of survivors and other information is in her obituary, which is on Page 11A of this issue.

Mrs. Miles was the interior designer and planner for numerous residential projects she and her husband developed in Alleghany. She also managed their rental housing in the county.

Most recently, she worked with her husband and other family members to establish the Miles J.O.B. Fund. This non-profit revolving loan pool helps new and existing small businesses.

In the 1970s, she was on a committee that worked passionately to prevent construction of a dam on the New River that would have flooded about 40,000 acres in Alleghany and other counties. Mrs. Miles also helped establish the Blue Ridge Bank in the 1980s.

She and her husband were recently named "Business Leaders of the Year" by the Alleghany Chamber of Commerce. In July, they were named "Grand Marshals" for the annual July 4 Parade in Sparta. Mrs. Miles was a charter member of the Alleghany Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Alleghany Arts Council, Junior Woman's Club and was a former Girl Scout leader.

She was a graduate of Laurel Springs High School and the Women's College of the University of North Carolina, which now is UNC-Greensboro.

As one of the four children of Van Sr. and Loy Evans Miller, she was raised on a family farm in Laurel Springs. Mrs. Miles was a lifelong member of Laurel Springs Baptist Church.

She reached out to many members of the community and was strong in her faith.

 

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