Monday, August 15 | 10:30 AM
Lida Elizabeth Miller was born in Tremont, Illinois on March 9, 1934 to parents Josephine Garden Robison and Leslie Archie Robison. She was the oldest of three sisters and one brother. When she was eleven, her family moved to Wapello, IA, where she graduated from high school. Lida graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a two year teacher's certificate in elementary education in 1953, and met her future husband, Kermit Miller, at work. They married in 1955 and had a truly loving marriage that endured until his death in 2001. She had three daughters, Melissa, Beth and Marla.
Lida lived in Iowa and Wisconsin for most of her adult life, teaching elementary school-fifth grade was her favorite. She enjoyed her teaching career and enjoyed her time at home with her daughters. Lida was an enthusiastic fan of their activities and went to most home and away events. When Melissa was in high school, Lida returned to college at UW-EC where she received her Bachelor of Education degree and then returned to work full-time.
In the early 1970's, the family bought a cabin on a lake in Northern Wisconsin and that cabin (which later became a larger home) became the center of the family's summers. Lida and Kerm liked to fish and socialize with their many friends. They enjoyed vegetable gardening and Lida made countless containers of applesauce for the family.
Lida and Kerm also enjoyed an annual fishing vacation in Canada where they saw their long time, dear friends Billie and Don Gilkerson. The two couples had a great time fishing for northern and walleye and watching the kids enjoy the water. After retirement, Lida and Kerm spent their winters in Mesa, Arizona where they made many new friends and enjoyed the company of longtime friends. They also enjoyed a tour of Europe and several other trips within the United States. After both their husbands died in 2001, Lida and Billie Gilkerson continued to go to Mesa for many years, enjoying the warmth of the Arizona winters in contrast to the cold of the Midwest.
After Kerm died, Lida moved to the Twin Cities to be closer to two of her daughters and grandchildren. She made good friends in her condo building and enjoyed going to plays, concerts and lectures with them. Unfortunately, COVID put an end to these outings and Lida reluctantly moved to the Golden Valley area to be closer yet to children and grandchildren.
One of the things Lida was proudest of was that she attended all her grandchildren's high school, college, and graduate school graduations. She also attended all six weddings; travelling to such exotic destinations as Des Moines, IA, Cancun, Mexico (where she enjoyed a catamaran ride) and Siena, Italy. Her grandchildren knew they were loved by her.
Once when talking to her daughter, Lida commented that her life had been a good one and that it had turned out pretty much the way she had hoped. I think that's a great epitaph.
Lida was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her sister Helen and her brother Archie. Lida's surviving family includes her sister Barbara Harvey, and her daughters and families: Melissa Miller and Ron Schiferl, Beth and Kevin Florey, and Marla and Richard Walters. They are also survived by six grandchildren and spouses, Matthew and Hailey Walters, Andrea and Christian Engelen, Suzanne and Bryan Kuehn, Christina and Nick Bass, Gregory and Vanessa Walters, and Natalie Schiferl and Andrew Shipe. She also has eight great grandchildren - all four years old or younger.
A funeral mass will be held at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Edina, MN on Monday, August 15 at 10:30 AM, with visitation starting at 9:30, and lunch following. Lida will be buried next to her husband at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in McGregor, IA.
