Lovingood, Miles Hillard

Miles Hillard Lovingood, 83, of Blacksburg, died October 26, 2016. He was predeceased by his parents, Hillard and Myrtle Lovingood.

Miles is survived by his wife of 60 years, Rebecca, and three daughters, Beth Allman (Frank) of Quincy, Fla., Debbie Harned of Greenville, S.C., and Linda Staley (Ed) of Roanoke, and five grandchildren, Charles Harned, David Harned, Brian Harned, Reilly Allman, and Miles Allman. He is also survived by his sister, Dolores Reutter (Charles) of Sebring, Fla., as well as several nieces and nephews.

Miles graduated from The Ohio State University in 1955 and was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army. Following active duty, he worked at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster, Ohio. From 1964 to 1973, Miles taught in, and eventually led the Agricultural Equipment Technology program at Clark County Technical Institute in Springfield, Ohio, and completed a master’s degree at OSU in Agriculture Education in 1969.

After moving to Blacksburg in 1973, he taught courses for non-engineering majors in the Agricultural Engineering Department at Virginia Tech, and received a Ph.D. in Agricultural Education from OSU in 1978.

Miles loved learning, but most of all loved teaching what he learned and was popular among students. His dream of designing and building a house was fulfilled when — except for the initial framing and plastering — Miles and several students built the family home in Blacksburg.

He served on the board of the Wesley Foundation and was a volunteer for many years for the Montgomery County Humane Society Thrift Shop and the Blacksburg United Methodist Church’s annual yard sale.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, November 12 at Blacksburg United Methodist Church with the Reverend Joe Carson, Pastor, officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Blacksburg United Methodist Church Radio Ministry (P.O. Box 931, Blacksburg, VA 24063), or Montgomery County Humane Society (Box 287, Blacksburg, VA 24063).

Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home.