Thelma Mardell (Struble) Miller 1914 - 2017

STRUBLE, MILLER, PEMBROOK

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 9/17/2017 at 20:19:18

Onawa Democrat
13 September 2017

Thelma Mardell (Struble) Miller
BORN: March 9, 1914
DIED: September 2, 2017
LOCATION: Castana, Iowa

Thelma Mardell (Struble) Miller, 103, of Castana, Iowa died Saturday, September 2, 2017 at Pleasant View Care Center in Whiting, Iowa.

Funeral services will be 1:00 P.M. Thursday, September 7, 2017 at the Castana Community Church in Castana, Iowa with Pastor Linda Boggs, Pastor Harvey Hanson, and Melba and Sherman Struble officiating. Burial will be in Kennebec Cemetery, Castana, Iowa. Visitation will be 12:00 noon until service time on Thursday at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Rush Family Care Service, Onawa, Iowa.

Thelma Mardell was born on March 9, 1914, in Belvidere Township, in Monona County, the tenth child of Ira and Effa (Pembrook) Struble. She attended rural Moore School No. 1 near the Struble farm and later Castana High School graduating in 1930. During these early years Thelma helped out neighbors with household chores working for $5/week.

Thelma married Edwin (Eddie) Miller on March 23, 1932, on the Struble family farm. They made their home in Castana, Iowa, where they lived their entire married life. They raised two sons, Roger Alan and Douglas Edwin. Thelma and Eddie moved into Eddie's grandpa's home (Lawrence "Gramp" Nielson) to help care for him. During WWII Thelma worked in a government training program teaching young women in the area how to do canning of food. Thelma never worked full-time outside the home until Douglas graduated from high school. She and Eddie moved into her mother's home following her death. She then worked at the Castana School lunchroom for a few years and later served as the Acting Postmaster in Castana for three years. She then began working at Ronnie's Locker where she remained for 16 years. In later years she enjoyed caring for her younger brother, Ivan. Eddie passed away on November 29, 1994. Thelma continued to live in her home until moving into Pleasant View Care Center in 2015.

Thelma was a life-long active member of the Reorganized Church of Latter Days Saints now called the Community of Christ in Onawa, Iowa. She began serving as a Sunday school teacher in junior high and continued throughout most of her adult life. She was active in the Women's Circle, Castana Community Ladies Aid, Castana Thursday Club, and the Neighborly Pals Club. In later years, Thelma regularly attended worship at the Castana Community Church. She was interested in school activities as well as community affairs and hosted many Democratic caucuses in her home over the years. Thelma was an amazing cook and baker. Those who knew her were aware that the door to her home was always open and the coffee pot was always on with freshly baked goodies to share. She hosted neighborhood coffee gatherings in her home each day. Her meals and baked goods were savored by both family and friends. She loved her regular coffee ladies and treasured visits from family and friends. Even though glaucoma took much of her eyesight in later years, her mind contained a wealth of family and community history as well as many life lessons to be shared with her family and friends. One of her comments after entering Pleasant View Care Center at the age of 101: "when I get to feeling sorry for myself, I think back over my day and can always remember at least 12 things I am grateful for". A hard-working woman who was always willing to share whatever she had with whoever needed it, a matriarch who will be missed greatly by her large family and community of friends.

Survivors include two sons and their families, Roger (Janeane) Miller and children Diane (Steven Frost) Miller, Holly (Terry) Warth, Michele (William IV) Harris, and Scott Miller; and Douglas (Marian) Miller and children David (Andrea) Miller and Elizabeth Miller; great-grandchildren, Jennifer, Sarah, Jessica, Scott II, Blake, Stephanie, Alex, Macy, and Zachary; many great-great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends; and special neighbors and friends, Harvey (Nancy) Hanson and Brady (Cathy) Hanson.
Preceding her in death are her parents; brothers, Edward (Ethel) Struble, Lloyd (Lucille) Struble, Ivan Struble, Conn (Gwendolyn) Struble, and Warren (Leora) Struble; sisters,Blanche (William) Aitken-(John) Poulosky, Floris (Chester) Davis, Clelia (Charles) Davis, Mildred (Alma) Amundson, and Jennie (Bruce) Notfsger.

Memorials in Thelma's memory may be directed to the Castana Community Church.

Monona Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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