Marilyn Miller

Marilyn Miller, 91, passed away from heart failure on Monday, May 25, 2020 at MercyOne Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

Marilyn was born July 28, 1928 in Dayton, Iowa to Clyde and Lois Umsted. She was raised in Truro, Iowa and graduated from Truro High School where she sang soprano in the choir and was a forward on the girls’ basketball team.

After graduation, Marilyn moved to Des Moines to work for the Meredith Corporation. She was introduced to Norman, a young sailor, by mutual friends. They married and raised two kids in the Woodland Hills area on the Miller family acreage. Marilyn went to work for a number of small businesses, including Brown Brothers Electrical, when her youngest was preparing for junior high. The family attended church regularly where Marilyn taught Sunday School and played the piano for the worship services.

She had a big garden and she and Norman loved taking the grandchildren camping. After the family was raised, they moved to Pleasant Hill, Iowa, a townhome in West Des Moines, an apartment at Walnut Ridge in Clive, and later to Wesley Acres when they could no longer live independently. Marilyn loved to cook and was especially fond of baking sweets. She loved to sew, crochet, quilt and read, and was always glued to the TV during the high school basketball tournaments.

Marilyn is survived by her husband of 70 years, Norman; children, Steve (Judy) Miller, Diane (James) Tough; three grandchildren, Wendy (Troy) Thorson, Aaron (Sherri) Miller and Matthew Tough; 7 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-granddaughter; and three sisters, Alice (Jerry) Meek, Jane McCarty, and Joan Starr. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother; and her great-granddaughter.

Services will be held Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines, IA 50266. Private family burial will follow at Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter, IA.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Hope Ministries.

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