Robert Miller

Earl Miller, 95, of Atlantic, Iowa, passed away Wednesday, July 26, 2017, at Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

He was born October 28, 1921, in Benton Township, Cass County, Iowa, to Otto and Georgia (Miller) Miller. He grew up in the Anita area and graduated from the Anita High School in 1938. Earl farmed near Anita before he volunteered to join the Navy. He was an electrician on a troop transport ship in the South Pacific during WWII.

On March 28, 1948, he married Aletha L. Eilts at the First Lutheran Church of Wiota, IA. They bought and farmed the Eilts family farm in the rural Wiota area until their retirement in 1988, at which time they moved to Wiota. After his retirement, Earl remained involved with the farm by helping with spring planting and he was proud of the fact that he was still able to run the combine during the fall harvest on their Century Farm. And, during the summer, he could often be seen mowing weeds with the tractor and bush hog. After the move to Wiota, Earl and Aletha became active in the Wiota Booster Club. Then, in 2011, Earl became a resident of the Heritage House in Atlantic.

Earl was a longtime member of the First Lutheran Church of Wiota where he held several offices. He was a Lincoln Township trustee, a 4-H leader, member of the Saddle Club, a member of the Anita American Legion Post #210 for over 60 years and their Scholarship Foundation Board, and had been a member of the VFW Bartley-Alff Post #8766. Earl was honored to be on the Honor Flight in 2014.

He was an active part of the Anita Centennial. He also enjoyed traveling, camping, and playing pool at the Heritage House. Earl was a quiet man, but he was always listening and thinking.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Otto and Georgia Miller; his wife of 61 years, Aletha; a sister and brother-in-law, Ida (Lester) Johnson; and a brother and sister-in-law, Fred (Clara) Miller.

Earl is survived by his daughter, Charlotte (Bill) Riggs of Indiantown, FL; a son, Dan (Marlene) Miller of Anita, IA; grandchildren, Justin (Jill) Miller of Anita, IA, Grant (Katie) Miller of Nevada, MO, Kelly (Megan) Miller of Estherville, IA, and Spenser Miller of Anita, Iowa; four great-grandchildren, Owen and Macy Miller of Wiota, IA and Garrett and Gavin Miller of Nevada, MO; two step-granddaughters; four step-great-grandchildren; a sister, Ruby Anderson of Geneva, New York; and a brother, Maynard (Carol) Miller of Atlantic, IA; and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation with family will be from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m., Sunday, July 30, 2017, at Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic, Iowa.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, July 31, 2017, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church south of Wiota, Iowa, with burial in Evergreen Cemetery in Anita, Iowa.