Wilber LeRoy MILLER

MILLER, RILEA, STEPHENS, CHERRINGTON, TEALE

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 12/17/2008 at 21:36:31

OBITUARY - WILBER LEROY MILLER

Wilber LeRoy MILLER was born November 28, 1882 at Beaconsfield, IA, one of the five children of Loring David MILLER and Susan Jeanetta, (RILEA) MILLER, of ancestry which included colonists who came on the Mayflower as, well as Irish immigrants of recent years. He attended school near Beaconsfield and in Leon, having moved to Decatur County with his parents, sisters and brother at the age of 14. From that time on he resided in Leon.

October 22, 1911 be was united in marriage to Gracie STEPHENS of the Woodland community To them were born two sons, Forest, who is associated with his father in the W. L. MILLER Insurance Agency, and Farrel who was killed in Germany in World War II.

A business man all of his lifetime, He was a Watkins dealer then a Men's Clothing Store owner, and for the last 32 years has been an insurance agent in Leon.

A member of the Leon Methodist church, Joined with his wife 1916, he served the church as an officer almost continuously in such capacities as chairman of the Board of Trustees, Secretary to the Official Board, member of the church choir, and lay delegate to the annual conference.

He was active in a number of civic organizations: The Leon Rotary club of which he was an organizer of other Rotary clubs: Grand River Lodge AF & AM of Leon where he was a Past Master, the Order of Knights Templar in which he served various offices in addition to having been Warden in the Grand commandary of Iowa; The Odd Fellows Lodge; The Order of The Eastern Star of which he is a past Worthy Patron; the Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem where he is a Past High Priest. He was a former chapter chairman of the American Red Cross, a former Republican Committeeman, and a member of the Iowa Association of Independent Insurance Agents.

Outstanding in discernment of life's true values he generously contributed to the Leon Methodist church, Methodist Mission in Mozambique, Africa, to CARE and to scholarships for Negroes at Rust College, Holly Springs, Mississippi.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister Pearl and brother, Harry in childhood, sisters, Helen CHERRINGTON and Minnie TEALE, his wife, Grace and son, Farrel. Surviving are his son, Forest, daughter-in-law, Eleanora, and grandchildren Caroline and Loring of Leon and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were conducted by the Rev. Eldon HAWORTH at the Stewart Funeral Home, Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Interment in the Leon cemetery.

Transciption by Sharon R. Becker, December of 2008