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<i>Paul Cutler Miles </i><font size="2">was born on Apr 6, 1954, in Albuquerque, NM, the fourth of Dick and Martha Miles’ six children. He left us suddenly, and all too soon, on May 22, 2010.</font></p>
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<font size="2">Paul came from a family of West Point graduates that included his grandfather Francis 1910, uncle Edmund ’36, father Richard ’42 and brother David ’75. He felt a duty to honor his family and serve his country by becoming a part of the Long Gray Line. During WWII, his grandfather was the ranking ordnance officer to observe the attack on Pearl Harbor, at the same time, his father was serving in Patton’s Army in the European Theater, was captured, and remained a POW until the war’s end. Paul’s mother also a WWII vet, having served in the Army as an RN and first lieutenant at Camp Carson, CO. Dick and Martha were married shortly after the war ended, beginning another Army life.</font></p>
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<font size="2">Dick Miles’ last duty assignment was in Southern California where Paul spent his high school years. It was in the summer of 1971, at the start of his senior year, that Paul met "the new girl" who had just transferred into Redlands High, Bobbi Gabrielsen. And so began a relationship that would indeed last a lifetime.</font></p>
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<font size="2">In 1973, Paul joined his brother David at USMA. His strong work ethic and will power served him well as he navigated the challenging waters of the Academy. His nickname, Skip, started during Beast Barracks and never left him. Since he had made the football team, Paul sat at corps squad tables and never went hungry. Just as he received a major slug, a visiting dignitary granted amnesty. He missed part of training at Camp Buckner because he was bitten by a black snake and landed in the hospital. That last one was a bit extreme, but it did reinforce his reputation for "skipping out." More importantly though it was during his plebe year that Paul forged friendships that lasted the rest of his life, especially among his classmates in E-1.</font></p>
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<font size="2">Two days after graduation in 1978, Skip and Bobbi were married in the Old Cadet Chapel. As newlyweds, their first assignment was the MI Officer Basic Course at Ft. Huachuca, AZ. Good fortune would make Skip and Bobbi neighbors of Kirby Hicks ’78 and his new bride, Julie. Although Kirby and Skip were classmates, they didn’t actually meet until they heard each other making the same argument for quarters in the housing office. They forged a quick friendship and shared many years of good times together. </font></p>
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<font size="2">The next stop on Skip’s Army trail was Ft. Knox. Sharing the road with the M1 Abrams tank took a bit of getting used to. You can be sure that, even at a four-way stop, the tank always got the right of way! But the stay at Ft. Knox didn’t last long, and in 1980 Skip and Bobbi were on their way to the Third Infantry Division at Leighton Barracks in Wuerzburg, Germany where Skip worked in the 3d ID Headquarters Intelligence Section and later in Kitzingen as a battalion S2. It was serious work with a lot of time in the field, but Skip thrived on it. We’ve all heard the story that folks bring three things home with them from Germany: a cuckoo clock, a German shrunk, and a baby. Well, Bobbi and Skip didn’t get the cuckoo clock, but they did come home with a shrunk and, more specially, their son Joshua.</font></p>
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<font size="2">Then it was back to Ft. Huachuca, where Skip again caught up with Kirby and more good times ensued. It was also at Ft. Huachuca that Skip decided, after six years serving in the Army, he was at his last assignment. </font></p>
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<font size="2">In 1984, Skip went to work for GTE Government Systems in Research Triangle Park, but it was really Bobbi’s work for former governor Bob Scott and the State of North Carolina that made them feel at home. During those four fun and eventful years in Raleigh, daughter Rebecca was added to their family, and Skip earned his MBA from Duke University. </font></p>
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<font size="2">While at the ten-year reunion, classmate Booth Buckley ’78 offered Skip a chance to join him in Seattle and start his own business, something that had always been one of Skip’s goals. Not long afterwards, Skip and Bobbi were settled into the home in Seattle where they raised their family for over 20 years. Skip eventually went on to become a financial advisor for Edward Jones, and it was just the right fit for him. He felt no greater reward than the opportunity to help folks plan for their futures, which this profession afforded him. </font></p>
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<font size="2">While in Seattle, cycling became a passion for Skip. He owned five bikes because, as any serious cyclist knows, you need a different bike for the road, rain, and trail. Whether cycling the 180-mile "Seattle to Portland" ride, meeting in Arizona or Washington, Kirby, Booth, and Skip shared many years of cycling, hiking, and camping together. Before one trip was over, they would already be planning the next. No matter the occasion, Kirby says it was always more fun when shared with Skip.</font></p>
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<font size="2">Bobbi and Skip knew each other for nearly 40 years. Throughout their life together, they celebrated the happy times and weathered its challenges and disappointments. They were lucky to have two terrific children, Joshua and Rebecca, who loved their dad and miss him greatly. </font></p>
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<font size="2">Paul Miles was a man who cherished his wife, family, faith, and friends. Although his passing has left a big void in our lives, we try to fill it with the memories of Skip’s hearty laugh, infectious grin, and strong hugs. We celebrate that he was a special person to all who knew him. </font></p>
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<font size="2">Be Thou at Peace.</font></p>
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<font size="2"><i>— MG & Mrs. Mike Lally ’</i>’<i>78,<br />
David Miles </i>’<i>75, Kirby Hicks ’</i>’<i>78<br />
& Bobbi Miles</i></font></p>