Angela Miles

Angela Ackley Miles died Tuesday, April 19, in Madison, WI.  She was 89.

Angela was born May 18, 1932, in Columbus, OH.  After graduating from Smith College in 1953 and working for the American Friends of the Middle East in New York City, she married Philip Miles in 1955 (divorced 1983).  The couple lived in New Haven, CT while Philip completed his PhD at Yale, then moved to Madison, where Angela resided for more than 50 years.  Her professional and personal lives were devoted to community service, to the education and development of children, particularly at-risk children, and to her family.

While her four children were young, Angela was a homemaker and an active volunteer in her community.  She served organizations including Head Start, the League of Women Voters, the Democratic Party and various local and national political campaigns, Attic Angels, Girl Scouts, the Regent Neighborhood Association, United Way, Madison Public Schools, Wisconsin Early Childhood Association, Community Coordinated Child Care in Dane County (4C), the Rainbow Project and other early childhood service organizations.

Angela completed most of a master’s degree in early childhood education from the University of Wisconsin Madison in the early 1970s. In 1975 she became the Director of University Avenue Day Care, a nonprofit daycare center dedicated to early childhood education for families across the socioeconomic spectrum and served in that role for 17 years.  Angela also served as Chairperson of the City of Madison Human Services Commission. In 1986 she was awarded a Certificate of Recognition from the Rainbow Project, and in 1987 she was awarded a Professional Achievement Award from 4C.

After her father’s death, Angela returned to her hometown of Columbus to care for her mother. There she was reunited with her brothers, becoming an active participant in her extended family’s life for a decade as her nieces and nephews and their children grew up.  Following her mother’s death, Angela returned to Madison and resumed her life there. To her great joy, this included after-school care of her granddaughter Eleanor and her friend Claire Curley (grandma duty happily shared with Claire’s grandma Jean).

As a retiree, Angela was active in many causes, including volunteer work in the classroom at local public schools, in the University of Wisconsin Children’s Hospital, and for Sharing Active Independent Lives (SAIL).  She was a lifelong learner who participated in Madison’s PLATO program for many years, and an avid reader.  At the time of her death, she belonged to five different book clubs.

In addition to her passion for social and community causes, Angela loved nature.  She was an accomplished gardener and walked the trails in and around Madison throughout her life there.  She also loved to cook and was often ahead of her culinary time, from being an early follower of Julia Child and Simone Beck to patronizing Madison’s farmers’ markets since the early 1970s.  Above all, she loved to celebrate life with her family.  Her presence at and contributions to family gatherings were legendary, and will live on in many memories.

Angela always moved forward with energy and optimism. The latest example of this was her move to Oakwood Village University Woods just a few weeks ago. She was looking forward to making new friends and participating in the many cultural and educational opportunities offered at Oakwood.

Angela is survived by her brothers Tim Ackley and Stan (Jane) Ackley; her children Sarah Miles (Art) Schiller, Katy Miles Duren (Chris Rutland), Elizabeth Miles (Rob) Waring, and Charles Miles; her grandchildren Meg (Eric) Schmidt, Erik Schiller, Eleanor Duren, Emma Rutland, and Nubia Waring; and her great grandchildren Charlotte Schmidt and Clara Schmidt.

Friends are invited to a reception in Angela’s honor from 5:00-6:30 pm on Saturday, May 21 at the Edgewater Hotel (Wine Room).

The family suggests that memorials may be made to:

Second Harvest Food Bank

Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)

Kids Forward

Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice.com

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

3610 Speedway Road Madison

(608) 238-3434