NAPLES — James E. Miller, 81, of Naples, died Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at the Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.

He was born on July 17, 1940, in Atlantic City, N.J., to William H. and Florence E. (Hassle) Miller. He graduated from Steinert High School, the Class of 1959 in Hamilton Township, N.J.

On June 23, 2002, he married, Margot Wood of Naples, Maine, where they made their home. James (Jim) worked as a truck driver for the majority of his working career for the Homosote Company of West Trenton, N.J. He also worked as a volunteer for the Blawenburg, N.J., Police and Fire Department for many years. Jim continued to work after retirement for several Naples marinas. Jim also worked for ten years at the Naples Golf Course.

He was a well-respected leader and served as the head of the Elks in Princeton, N.J., for a number of years. He volunteered for adult education in the Lake Region area teaching candy making, often with his daughter Amy as his assistant.

Jim was known as the “Candyman.” He took great pride in making homemade chocolates, pies and dog biscuits for family and friends. His favorite pastime was to go out to Gary’s Olde Towne Tavern in Naples where he frequented Friday nights giving away his homemade candy from a large pizza box and having a great time dancing. For the past few years, Jim was head cook at the Casco/Naples Senior meal site.

He is loved by his wife, Margot Miller of Naples; children, Robert Burnham and his wife Rhonda of Clarksville, Tenn., Amy Irving and her husband David of Naples, and Kit Burnham and his wife Kim of Bow, N.H.; grandchildren Denise Burnham of Clarksville, Tenn., Tamlyn Burnham and her husband Johnathan Goca of Clarksville, Tenn., Alice Enyedy and her husband Michael of Harrison, Jeremy Burnham and his wife Alyssa of Kaiserslautern, Germany, Remonica Burnham of Clarksville, Tenn., Garredd Sanborn of Naples, and Lindsay and Taylor Burnham of Bow, N.H.; as well as seven great-grandchildren; siblings Gladys Longmuir and husband Jack of Hamilton Square, N.J., their son Jack Longmuir and wife Kristin of Hamilton Square, N.J., brother Robert Miller and sister Lana Miller.

He was predeceased by his first wife Casey Miller; and his daughter Kimberly Buckalew.

Memorial visitation for Jim the “Candyman” will be held from 2-4 p.m., on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, at the Hall Funeral Home, 165 Quaker Ridge Road in Casco. A private family committal will take place later at the Crooked River Cemetery in Naples.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be sent in Jim’s honor to the following: Naples Food Pantry – CRC of Naples, P.O. Box 447, Naples, ME 04055, attn: Connie Madura, or Casco Food Pantry, P.O. Box 367, Casco, ME 04015, attn: Joanne Vail.

Please consider sharing your kind words and favorite stories on his Tribute Wall at www.hallfuneralhome.net.