Velma (Brechbiel) Miller

Obituary

Class of 1944

Mar. 23, 1926 – June 6, 2009

Velma Joyce Miller

Velma Joyce Miller passed away peacefully Saturday, June 6, 2009. There will be a graveside service at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 11, 2009, at Hillcrest Cemetery in Weiser with a memorial service following at 2:30 p.m. at the Community Church of Weiser.  Velma was born  March 23, 1926, the oldest of four siblings to Howard and Dora Brechbiel in Poplar, Mont., where they farmed until the family moved to Weiser in 1937. There, she grew up on a farm on the Weiser Flat and attended school in Weiser, graduating from Weiser High School in 1944.

She married Albert Miller on Dec. 13, 1944, and they had four children, Marilyn, Connie, Max and Elyce. She was a full-time homemaker and worked alongside Albert on a farm on the Weiser Flat, working with the sheep, tending a large garden, canning and freezing food and sewing clothes for the family. She also worked at seasonal jobs throughout her early years of marriage. In 1967, they sold the farm and moved to a small ranch on Chicken Creek north of Weiser. They raised cattle and ranched until 1976 when they sold the ranch and moved into Weiser. Velma and Albert enjoyed traveling and went to every state in the union as well as Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.

Velma was a member of The Brethren Church, where she taught Sunday school, and was a charter member of The Community Church of Weiser, where she was a member of Lydians, actively worked with the annual Ground Hog Feed for many years and supported missions and other organizations within the church.

Her hobbies were quilting, crafts of many kinds, needlework, gardening, flower arranging and reading. She also kept a diary for many years. She belonged to the Weiser Gardener”s Workshop and TOPS. She was “green” before it became fashionable and was well versed in recycling.

Velma is survived by her husband, Albert, of 64 years; a brother, Lloyd Brechbiel, of Weiser; a sister, Nora Mitchell, of Payette; a brother, Glenn (June) Brechbiel, of Tucson, Ariz.; four children, Marilyn (Vernon) Lolley, of Weiser, Connie (Ron) Trunnell, of Ontario, Max Miller, of Weiser, and Elyce (Ken) Wiensz, of Corvallis, Ore.; nine grandchildren; and many great- and great-great-grandchildren.

Velma was preceded in death by her parents, an infant brother and an infant great-grandson.

Contributions may be made to the Weiser  Community Church or one of Velma”s favorite charities: ROSE Advocates, Hope House and Love INC.

From Argus Observer (Ontario, OR) 10 June 2009