Alice H. Miller, 89

Published 9:42 am Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Mrs. Alice H. Miller, 89, of rural Dexter, Minnesota, died on Saturday, July 18, 2015, of natural causes at her home.

Alice Miller

Alice Helen Anderson was born on Sept. 1, 1925, in Hart, Minnesota, to Howard and Anna (Quaman) Anderson. She grew up on the family farm in rural Hart and then Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and moved with her family as a young girl to rural Grand Meadow, Minnesota. She attended school there, graduating from Grand Meadow High School in 1942. Alice was married on Oct. 10, 1942, at Grand Meadow Lutheran Church to Harold E. Miller. The couple farmed in the Grand Meadow area before moving to rural Dexter in 1954, where they raised their family and have continued to live.

Alice was a homemaker and was also employed for many years as a waitress at Austin Candy, Long’s Cafe in Stewartville and at the Lobster House on Hwy 63. She was a farm wife and enjoyed raising and milking Jersey cows and raising beef cattle and chickens. She was a longtime member of Zion Lutheran Church in rural Dexter, where she was active in the Ladies Aid activities and dedicated to many of the sustaining functions of the church. Mr. Miller died April 3, 1997, and Mrs. Miller has continued to live on their farm. She enjoyed flower-gardening, bird-watching and -feeding, reading, and going to garage and rummage sales. Alice was a good cook and thoroughly enjoyed entertaining and visiting with friends. She loved time spent with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and had recently taken a fifth-generation family photo with her great-great-granddaughter Adeline.

Alice is survived by two daughters: Judy (Lee) Pearce of Hammond, Minnesota, and Kathy “PT” (Mark) Thorson of rural Hayfield, Minnesota; 12 grandchildren: Lori Coolidge, David Coolidge, Philip Coolidge, Tammy (Kevin) Burke, Kimberly (Bruce) McNamee, Renee`(Curt) Myer, Travis (Angie) Thorson, Jessie (Aaron) Brinkman, Kasey Thorson, Micah Thorson, Noah Thorson and Kiah Thorson; 16 great-grandchildren: Zach, Riley, Gabrielle, Amelia, Brad, Hope, Grace, Cole, Ryker, Tytan, Dawson, Sierra, Ethan, McKenzie, Calli, Tiger; and great-great grand-daughter Adeline; her life-long friend and confidant Ann Voeltz; as well as her devoted and cherished pal, her dog Buddy.

She was preceded in death by her husband Harold; daughter Janice Wagaman; grandson John; her parents; and brother Lawrence Anderson.

The funeral service for Alice will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 25, 2015, at Zion Lutheran Church in rural Dexter with the Rev. Brad Novacek officiating. Burial will take place at the church cemetery. A time of visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, July 24, 2015, at Griffin-Gray F.H. in Stewartville and one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday morning. The family suggests memorials to the Zion Lutheran Cemetery. Arrangements are with Griffin-Gray F.H. in Stewartville, www.griffin-gray.com.