On January 16, 1928 Fred MILLER and Ida BEST were united in marriage and came to make their home in Maloy where Fred was already employed as the rural mail carrier for the community. Their first home way up on the hill in a big, white house near Ed and Marie SHEIL. There they assisted in the care of Fred's parents, Hugh and Carrie MILLER, who have long since passed away.

From there they moved down into town with Ida's mother at the telephone office. At that time help was needed on the other side of the family as Ida's sister Agnes JENNINGS was very ill with Hodgkin's disease. She died in May 1937 leaving behind two small children.

Although no children were ever given to this union, it was quite clear that their destiny was to help others in their time of need. They always seemed to be available to anyone who needed a helping hand. It was part of their lives.

Later as they made their home in the house just north of the Christian Church, Fred not only carried the mail but worked every night for Johnny WARIN in the gas station. There, for one school term, they took in Phyllis JENNINGS, Agnes' daughter, so that she could go to Maloy for her first year of high school.

Fred and Ida moved to the telephone office and Ida served as the operator for several years.

On August 24, 1945 a special event that happened in their lives was the birth of a baby girl, Judy Kay, to Phyllis and her husband in the Luke HART hand's house across from the Catholic Church. Many times help was needed by the fifteen-year-old mother and her tiny baby, and it was given by Fred and Ida.

As time went on the MILLERS bought and moved into the large white house across the street from Tom and Mary SHAY at the west end of the street on the south side. Then Callie BEST, (Ida's mother) came to live in their home. Mrs. BEST passed away in February 1949. In February 1950 Fred was struck with a fatal heart attack, a great loss to all who knew him.

Ida then left Maloy to continue her life in northern Iowa, Colorado and finally in Albany, Missouri where she met and married Gaylen LAWRENCE, a farmer, on March 3, 1955. They lived comfortably in their mobile home in Albany. Ida is still the same loving lady, and Gaylen is a tribute to her life for these many years.

NOTE: Fred L. MILLER was born September 26, 1896, and died February 4, 1950. He served as a Private with Co. I, 87th Infantry during World War I. He was interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Blockton, Iowa.

SOURCE: Maloy, Iowa Centennial History: 1887 - 1987 p. 152.

Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library

Transcription and Notes by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2011