MILLER, Holly Elwood - b. February 10, 1913 - d. July 5, 2008

[flo]

I just received a prayer concern from the UMC for "the family of Elwood Miller, services 10:30 a.m. Zimmerman Funeral Home" but it did not say what day.  If someone knows, they might post it on here.

[Mom70x7]

Oops!

Services 10:30 am Wednesday.

[patyrn]

Holly Elwood Miller, 95, lifelong resident of Howard, Kansas, passed away July 5, 2008 at the Howard Twilight Manor.  He was born on February 10, 1913 at Howard, Kansas to Holly Maurice and Grace Hazel (Gotobed) Miller.  He graduated from Howard High School in 1932 and attended Kansas State Teachers College at Emporia from 1932 to 1933.  After college, he taught for two years at Rule School near Fall River, Kansas.

On April 18, 1936, he married Bessie Leona Dobbins at Winfield, Kansas, and to this union were born two sons, Fredrick and Robert.

Elwood worked at Brown Feed Store and Miller Grocery in Howard before becoming employed at Boeing Aircraft Company in Wichita from 1941 to 1945.  In 1946, Elwood began working for Munsinger Plumbing in Howard and founded Miller Plumbing in 1958.  He continued his plumbing business until retiring in 1993. After the death of his wife on August 27, 1995, Elwood remained at home until entering Howard Twilight Manor in 2006.

He was a member of the Presbyterian Church at Howard until it closed and then attended the Howard United Methodist Church.  He was a longtime member of Columbia Chaper 142 Order of Eastern Star and Hope Lodge 155 Ancient Free & Accepted Masons in Howard.  Elwood was an avid gardener and enjoyed sharing his harvest with family and friends. 

He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, and a sister, Helen Dean.

He is survived by his two sons, Fredrick Miller and his wife Judy of Winfield, Kansas and Robert Miller of Wichita, Kansas; his sister, Agnes Miller of Howard, Kansas; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at Zimmerman Funeral Home.  Pastor Robin Haines will officiate.  Burial will be in Grace Lawn Cemetery, Howard, Kansas.

Memorials have been established with the American Cancer Society and the Arthritis Foundation.  Contributions may be left with the funeral home.

(published in the Winfield Daily Courier 07/07/08)

[Marcia Moore]

Elwood served as a substitute mail carrier on Howard's Rt. 2 (his dad's mail route) for eighteen years from 1939 - 1957.  

[Marcia Moore]

     Elwood taught at Rule School the 1934/35 term and the 1935/36 term.  His students were Neva Jean Alderson, Elsie Alderson, Alfred Alderson, Marjorie Bell, Jessie Bell, George Bell, Donald Bell, Thelma Bell, Velma Bell, Wilma Boles, Wilda Boles, Robert Bunyard, Pauline Ellis, Maxine Ellis, David Ferguson, Pearl Ferguson, Dorothy Sims, Keith Sims, Wilma Ware, Virginia Ware, Donna Wilson, Helen Wilson and Betty Jean Wilson.

[patyrn]

My dad, Cecil Hebb, graduated from high school with Elwood, and they were always very good friends.  They roomed together at KSTC in Emporia in the 1930s and both ended up back in Howard as businessmen close to their home roots.  We will miss Elwood.

[Kel]

Elwood was one of my residents at Twilight Manor. He would tell me stories about my grandpa "Red" Smith, my husband's grandpa, J. B. Hunter, and Dr. Claypool. He would just LAUGH and really enjoy talking with someone who knew all of his old buddies. He was one of those residents who made my job pleasant and made me remember the real reason I became a nurse. The past few weeks he was always talking about "his Bessie" and how ready he was to see her again. He is with her now, and I feel lucky to have been able to get to know him. Elwood, rest in peace with your Bessie.

[LShortt]

Bless his heart, I know the years he spent without Bessie were tough years for him.  Elwood was a neighbor, an amazing neighbor (Bessie too).  He taught Charlie how to "spit" (Elwood with his "chew" & Charlie at 4 with his Big League Chew), tomatoes out of his garden were truly a treat, he always had a story and I always loved to listen to them. He was lovely man with infinite patience, he makes me smile.