Mabel Miller

Mabel Miller
November 11, 1918 - June 24, 2013
Kalona, Iowa
Memorial Service: 10:30 AM July 01, 2013 at East Union Mennonite Church, Kalona, Iowa
Visitation: 1-4 PM June 30, 2013 at Yoder-Powell Funeral Home, Kalona
KALONA - On June 24, 2013, Mabel Fern Brenneman Miller, of Kalona, Iowa completed her life here on earth, which was begun on November 11, 1918, the original Armistice Day! She joined her life journey with J. John J. Miller on June 1, 1941. Mabel grew up in the rural Kalona community, graduated from Kalona High School, and earned her Teacher's Certificate in Normal Training at Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She taught in rural schools for three years prior to raising her family. Mabel was the caring and committed mother of five children, and a loyal and supportive pastor's wife at East Union Mennonite Church near Kalona, Iowa. She is remembered for hosting every church family for dinner in her home, during one period of time. Most of Mabel's years of raising their five children were spent on several farms in the Kalona - Wellman area in Iowa. In addition to those years, she lived several years in Colorado and Nebraska during J. John's 1942 - 1946 term in CPS Camp, and two years in Hesston, Kansas where her husband attended school. In 1948, Mabel and J. John were part of a group who re-opened the small rural Pleasant Valley Church, often referred to as the Sandtown Church. After moving to Kalona, Mabel was employed part-time at Miller's Medicine Cabinet in Kalona. She volunteered at World Market Place, where she served on the board, and at the Crowded Closet, both in Iowa City. She was also a volunteer at Pleasantview Home. Mabel taught a women's Sunday School class a number of years, and was at one time the chairperson of the Women's Sewing Circle at East Union. After J. John's retirement, and at Mabel's urging, they were able to join several tour groups across the US, to Canada and to Mexico. They also enjoyed a mission trip to several Caribbean countries. Mabel enjoyed these trips immensely. Mabel is survived by two sisters-in-law Mary Ellen Miller of Kalona, Elvira Brenneman of Lubbock, TX., her brother-in-law Al Neuenschwander of Berne, IN, by her five children - Linda Rowold and friend George Brown of Austin, TX, John David and wife Rebecca Miller of Lexington, KY, Marlin and wife June Miller of Kalona, Jim and wife Jody Miller of Minneapolis, MN, and Gary and wife Gwen Miller of Gary, IN. She is also survived by eight grandchildren - Alice Schermerhorn, Sarah Miller-Piper, Shonda Hershberger, Jamie Trueblood, Rachel Snowden, Ben Miller, Margo Richey Young, Jared Richey; and thirteen great grandchildren - Max and Will Schermerhorn, London and Camden Hershberger, Jonathan and Kate Piper, Tatum and Maggie Trueblood, Isaiah and Ezekial Snowden, Naomi Miller, and Skylar and Kirkland Young. She was preceded in death by her husband of 71 years, her parents, William C. and Nancy Miller Brenneman, three sisters - Elta, Hettie Frey, Velma V. Yoder, four brothers - Josie, Waldo Emerson, Raymond, and Paul, son-in-law Milam Rowold, and two infant great-grandsons, Kai and Boston Hershberger. Memorial Services will be held at 10:30 AM on Monday, July 1, 2013 at the East Union Mennonite Church in rural Kalona. Pastor Jay Miiller will officiate. Burial will be in the East Union Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 1-4 PM on Sunday at the Yoder-Powell Funeral Home in Kalona. A memorial fund has been established for Pleasantview Home.