Rosemary Miller

Rosemary Miller Mason City ? Rosemary Miller, 88, formerly of rural Riverside, died late Saturday (Sept. 4, 2004) at her home with family at her side. Per her wishes, Major Erickson Funeral Home handled the cremation of her body. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, at the Unitarian Universalist Society, 10 S. Gilbert St., Iowa City, with her daughter, Mary Ellen Miller, and nephew, the Rev. Charles E. West, facilitating. Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. this Friday, September 10, at the Miller home, 803 East State Street. Memorial contributions will be dedicated to the Iowa Arboretum, a place dear to her heart and the destination of her final road trip May 14th. Rosemary (Scherer) Miller was born Oct. 14, 1915, in rural Montgomery County, Iowa, the sixth child of Frank C. and Sidney Mae (Tenney) Scherer. Her childhood was spent on her family farms near Red Oak. She attended Wales elementary school and graduated from Red Oak High School in 1932. She survived a fall from an apple tree at age seven that left her physically handicapped and precipitated the early onset of her rheumatoid and osteo arthritis in her 40s. An early, brief marriage left her the single mother of a son, Gerald Larry Houser, born Feb. 23, 1934. In these early years she often worked along side her father helping with his dragline and trucking businesses. Upon receiving her Licensed Practical Nurse certification she became employed at the Iowa State Tuberculosis Sanitarium in Oakdale. She was a past member of the LPN Association. She met her future husband, W. Dale Miller, at an Iowa City Moose Lodge dance. Following a whirlwind six-week romance, they married on Jan. 16, 1943, in Kahoka, MO, shortly before he reported for duty in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. During the rest of that war, she lived with her family in Red Oak while working at the Montgomery County Hospital. Their daughter, Mary Ellen, was born Nov. 5, 1943; their son, David Dale, was born on May 27, 1945. The couple moved to Johnson County in 1950 and was engaged in farming until 1991. Rose immediately resumed working at the Oakdale Sanitarium staying until 1965 when her health forced her to give up nursing. In 1961 she began volunteering her talents as a theatrical costumer for the Iowa City Community Theatre where she remained active for the next 30 years. She received the ICCT annual Board Award in 1968 and was the first recipient of the theater?s Lifetime Membership award in 1969. For many years she also served as costume consultant for Iowa City Regina High School and collaborated frequently with University of Iowa theatrical costume designer Margaret Hall. Despite the physical disability, she persevered throughout her life with grace and good humor, frequently defying physicians? predictions of her early demise. She was often heard to say that she was no different from others except that her handicap was visible. Following the death of her husband in l991, she moved to Mason City to live with her daughter. Expert in native Iowa plants and trees, she was an avid gardener, passing on that interest to her children. In her later years, she greatly enjoyed the time to pursue her favorite pastime, which was reading, often finishing books in a day. She enjoyed good mystery stories, interesting food, prairie life history, car travel, live theatre and the exceptional talent of Yo Yo Ma. She was a master at the New York Times crossword and a true and faithful friend and confidant. She will be remembered for her broadmindedness, self determination and unbounded love of her family and friends. She is survived and lovingly remembered by her three children: Gerald Larry Houser of rural Corydon, Mary Ellen Miller of Mason City and David Dale (Janet) Miller of rural Mt. Vernon; her sister Anna Belle Walker of Iowa City; seven grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild; many nieces and nephews, including special nephew Charles (Mary Ellen) West of rural Bode; and her most beloved friend, Frances Duwa of rural Riverside. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of nearly 50 years, W. Dale Miller; four sisters, twins Florence Scherer and Frances Sylvia Gard, Blanche Ailene Betts, Ellen Estelle West; and one brother Cydney Charles Scherer. Major-Erickson Funeral Home, (641) 423-0924.

Visitation:
5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at 803 East State St. on September 10, 2004 (map/driving directions) 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at 803 East State St. on September 7, 2004 (map/driving directions)

Service:
2:00 PM at Unitarian Univeralist Society on September 25, 2004 (map/driving directions)