Eleanora Genevieve [Liljegren] Miller 1916-2010

LILJEGREN, MILLER, CARLON, RIST, SWAN

Posted By: Curtis (email)
Date: 10/10/2010 at 11:59:15

DEATH NOTICE:

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa September 29, 2010)

MILLER, ELEANORA, 93, of Leon, Iowa, died Monday, September 27, 2010, at the Decatur County Hospital in Leon. Services are pending through Slade-O'Donnell Funeral Home.

DEATH NOTICE:

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa October 6, 2010)

MILLER, ELEANORA, 93, of Leon, Iowa died Monday, September 27, 2010, at the Decatur County Hospital in Leon. Funeral Services were held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 2, at Loving Chapel United Methodist Church in Leon with Rev. Lyle Ball officiating. Burial was in the Leon Cemetery. Memorials may be given to Loving Chapel United Methodist Church, Leon.

Obituary -

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa October 6, 2010)

ELEANORA MILLER ... Eleanora Genevieve Miller, 93, of Leon, Iowa, daughter of Alfred Theodore and Jennie Wilhelmina [Carlon] Liljegren, was born November 17, 1916 near Gowrie, Iowa and died September 27, 2010 at Decatur County Hospital Extended Care in Leon.

Following graduation from high school, Eleanora received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois in 1928. She taught English and speech at Keota and Moulton High Schools. Eleanora later received her Masters Degree in English from Drake University at the age of 66.

Eleanora married Chester Forest Miller in 1941. To this union two children were born, Carolin and Loring.

Eleanora operated the family Ben Franklin business in Keota while her husband served in WWII. They later moved to Leon where she worked as a bookkeeper in the family insurance business until 1998.

Eleanora was a freelance writer and self-employed poet. Through six decades of writing she had numerous poems published, including those in the Iowa Poetry Association Lyrical Iowa (50 consecutive years), American Poetry Anthology, Bristol Banner Books, and Cats Magazine and received numerous awards for her poetry. Eleanora was past state president of Iowa Poetry Association and National League of American Penwomen. She published a collection of her poems, Interviewing The Ghosts, in 2001. She was a newspaper correspondent for the Des Moines Register for many years.

Eleanora was passionate about human right and served on the Iowa Governor's Civil Rights Commission, was past chairman of the Iowa Citizens for Human Rights and editor of FOR (Freedom of Residence) Front. Being supportive of Veterans Affairs, Elenora was active in VFW Auxiliary and was a past Iowa President. She was a long time active member of Loving chapel United Methodist church in Leon, was a lay speaker and held many offices and positions. She was also active in other local community organizations including South Central Iowa Theatre, Business and Professional Women, Red Cross, Republican Party, Unity Club, Girl Scouts and Red Hat Ladies.

Preceding Eleanora in death were her parents and husband Forest. Surviving are daughter Carolin Gibson and husband Larry of West Des Moines; son Loring Miller and wife Phyllis of Leon; two granddaughters, Andrea Rist and husband Scott, Angela Sway and husband Patrick; two grandsons, Farrel Miller and wife Michelle, Caskey Miller; five great granddaughters: Sarah, Abbey, and Emily Swan, Grace Miller, Madeline Rist; and other relatives and friends.