Charles Michael Miller

It is with both deep sorrow and profound gratitude for a life well-lived, we announce the peaceful passing of Charles Michael Miller; “Mike”, “Mikey”, “Double M”, “Ikey-may”, “Mike-Mon”, “Unca Mike”, “Daddio”, and our beloved “Papa Mikey”. A fourth generation Asheville native, Mike lived a life marked by kindness, devotion to family and friends, and an enduring passion for people, music, reading, history, bicycling, volleyball, racquetball, birds, nature and the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina.

Born on May 14th, 1951 and raised in a small home in Oakley with his parents and three siblings, as a boy, Mike and his brothers enjoyed a simple life - riding horses on the roads that would become the Blue Ridge Parkway, camping by the creek, and swimming and skinny dipping in the ponds on the Biltmore Estate property. He loved learning, and was a lifelong avid reader from an early age due to the influence of his public school educators within the Reynolds School district. Ultimately graduating from Reynolds High School before enlisting in the Air Force and being deployed to join the airmen as a weatherman based in Thailand during the Vietnam war. Mike’s service also included working on 2 Apollo missions while stationed at Patrick Air Force Base, and time in the Navy Reserves following his deployment with the Air Force. Mike was a proud veteran and patriot who steadfastly supported organizations and causes serving veterans throughout his life. 

After completing his service, Mike attended Western Carolina University and earned his Bachelors degree in Psychology. During his time in Cullowhee, he developed friendships with many who remained his dear friends throughout his life. After college, he returned home to Asheville where he began his life of service in social work, including a stint as the first community organizer at Manna Food Bank. He met his wife, Joy Lovoy, in the early 80’s. They were both a part of the original “Asheville 100,” a group of young professionals who loved to socialize, dance, and listen to music and often partied in the historic homes of Montford and Kenilworth. Mike and Joy were married in 1983 and had their two girls shortly after. The family adventures were abundant, visiting Mexico, Italy, Spain, Panama, the West Coast, and the beautiful East Coast beaches. Mike and Joy shared a passion for travel, and visited many more places together with friends. 

One of the biggest adventures of Mike’s life was in the Summer of 1982 when he was one of four chaperones leading a large group of teenagers on a cross country bicycle trip to raise money for multiple sclerosis. The group traveled coast to coast, starting in California, and ending in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This trip of a lifetime is now the focus of a PBS documentary, “Shadow of A Wheel.”

Mike began his career in real estate in 1985. In 2002, he and his wife, Joy, founded Town and Mountain Realty with their partner, Lew Bellows. What started as a small family business grew into something truly special, guided by Mike's wisdom, integrity, humility, and passion for helping others. Alongside Joy, and later with his daughters Leah and Sophie Miller, and his son-in-law Sean Mack, they built a company rooted in relationships, service, and community. Over the course of 40 years in real estate, Mike was a mentor to dozens of top agents in the field. He has a flawless reputation amongst industry colleagues and countless clients turned friends.

Mike's love for Asheville and Western North Carolina ran deep. For more than four decades, he helped people find their place here, and it often felt like he had sold nearly every house in town. Whether you were a client, colleague, friend, or stranger, Mike was the best tour guide Asheville could have asked for—always eager to share his “nickel tour,” the stories, history, and beauty of the town & mountains he called home. 

By influence of his older siblings Jack and Sandy, music was one of his greatest passions from a young age. Mike possessed a remarkable knowledge of artists, albums and musical styles from across generations. He took pride and joy in curating music for people in his life. His gifts began as cassette tapes and progressed to CDs, iPods and more recently, playlists on Spotify or Apple Music. He was always ready to share a favorite song, tell a story behind an album or introduce someone to something new. Mike volunteered as a DJ at local public radio stations WCQS and WNCW. He attended hundreds of live concerts all over the musical spectrum, which he kept a dutiful record of in his later years. Some of his first concerts in high school included James Brown, Sam & Dave, and Ray Charles at Thomas Wolfe, then known as Asheville City Auditorium. 

Known for his thoughtfulness, he always made notes of birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions, making calls and more recently sending texts or cards to friends and family on their special days. In the words of a dear friend, “Mike had high emotional intelligence in abundance. He saw people clearly, accepted them fully, and then did the rarer thing: he loved them sincerely and helped whenever he could. He moved from curiosity to action. Mike was always looking for ways to make someone’s life better: lending a car, sharing a meal, finding someone work, making an introduction, opening a door. The love he had for everyone was palpable, and he moved through life with wisdom, humor, kindness, and pure joy.”

Family was at the heart of everything Mike did. He is survived by his beloved wife of 43 years, Joy Lovoy. Mike was a devoted father to his daughters Leah Miller (Aaron Byard) of Asheville and Sophia Miller (Sean Mack) of Asheville, always encouraging and attentive to their well-being and happiness. His love extended to his four grandchildren—Nomi, August, Parker and baby Sonny—who brought him immense joy. He also shared close bonds with his brother Gary (Debby) Miller; and many nieces and nephews and their families. He held dear memories of those who preceded him in death: his Mother, Joan Schell Miller, his Father, Jack Franklin Miller, his older sister Sandra “Sandy” Schulze, his older brother Jack Miller and many aunts and uncles. 

Mike passed away bravely on June 4th, 2026, after facing stomach cancer with extraordinary courage and determination, following complications related to his treatment. Throughout his 4 month battle with cancer, he found strength through the love of his family and friends, and his amazing team of doctors at Duke and Mission Hospitals and never wavered in his gratitude and positive outlook. Mike transitioned to the afterlife surrounded by his most cherished loved ones, Joy, Leah, and Sophie. They were at his side, sharing stories and listening to and singing his favorite songs to him.

Throughout the past weeks, countless stories have been shared about Mike’s remarkable presence and intentionality in his friendships. To know Mike was to be seen, encouraged, and loved. He leaves behind a legacy of kindness, service, humor and deep connection that will continue to ripple through Asheville and far beyond. His family is truly grateful to all who have reached out and shared stories about the beautiful man they love. We will all miss his stories, his playlists, his wisdom, and his unwavering belief in people. Join us in carrying forward his example by loving generously, staying curious, and never missing an opportunity to ask someone, “You doin’ ok?”

An intimate memorial service was held for family and very close friends on Saturday June 27th. A larger celebration of life will be planned for a later date with some of Mike’s favorite things - live music, beer & white wine, storytelling, and hopefully a game or two of backyard volleyball. All will be welcome.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the North Carolina Arboretum in Mike’s memory. Donors are kindly asked to include his name with their contribution. His family plans to dedicate a memorial bench in the gardens as a lasting tribute to his life and love of nature. 

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