Lois Ann Miller

Lois Ann Nelson Miller died at Butterfield Trail Village on November 17, 2010 at the age of 84. The youngest daughter of Roby and Elva Nelson, she was born on December 2, 1925 in Oil City, Pennsylvania. Her father, a Swedish immigrant, was a confectionary artist and the last of the small candy makers. Her mother died of leukemia when Lois was just six months old. Always a strong woman, Lois charted her own path at a young age. Though most women at the time went to secretarial school, she convinced her family to let her follow a different dream. She proudly became a registered nurse in 1946 and began her career at home in Pennsylvania. But the East Coast winters were harsh and warmer weather beckoned. When two other nurses approached her about heading west, she jumped at the chance for adventure. With just $100 in her pocket, she set out for California and quickly got a post at the Wadsworth Veterans Administration Hospital. It was there she met the love of her life, Thomas Miller, a handsome young doctor just home from service in the Pacific. The couple fell in love and was married on March 16, 1951. They had two beloved children, Lucy and Jim, and settled down in Pacific Palisades, California. Lois reveled in the area's natural beauty and exposed her children to it all. With a home just blocks from the ocean, the family delighted in daily trips to the tide pools. They took long walks on the beach, hunted fossils in Topanga Canyon, and soaked up the California sun. When the family moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas in 1961, Lois knew she'd miss West Coast living. But she threw herself into community activities and was soon enamored by her new home. She became a constant presence at the Regional Blood Mobile, eventually earning the 30-Year Red Cross Pin for her decades of devoted service. A woman of many passions, Lois had a deep love and respect for the Native Peoples of America. When driving to California as a young nurse, she was introduced to their cultures and the experience moved her heart. She began making regular trips to the Southwest, learning about the indigenous peoples and collecting quality pieces of native craftsmanship. These works of art-rugs, baskets, paintings, and jewelry-surrounded her for many years. Pain touched Lois's life far too soon and constant back problems would limit her ability to travel. But she could always transport herself to the desert through her treasured collection. A two-time breast cancer survivor, Lois met her physical trials with a fighting spirit that marveled those around her. Where others may have given up or given in to self pity, she adapted and thrived. When she could no longer pursue her love of travel, she began cataloging Washington County marriages and discovered a passion for genealogy. She was active with the Daughters of the American Colonists and became the Arkansas State Regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution. A dedicated and skilled researcher, she met with some of the most notable genealogists in the nation. Among them was Rabbi Malcolm Stern, author of First American Jewish Families, 600 Genealogies 1654-1988, who gave Lois the honor of incorporating her research into his work. In 2000, Lois moved from her long term residence on Sunset Drive to Butterfield Trail Village. True to form, she embraced this new community and the many friends she found there. Butterfield became her final home and she was thrilled to be a part of their extended family. She will be dearly missed by the many people who loved her and whose lives she touched. Lois was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Miller, M.D., and her son, James Nelson Miller. She is survived by her sister, Miriam Warfield and her husband Walter Warfield of Mechanicsburg, PA; her daughter, Lucy Miller Bugea and her partner, Victor A. Mirontschuk of New York, NY; her granddaughters, Carolyn Miller Braden and Jennifer Braden Munson, and her great granddaughter, Lola Rose Munson. She will be buried in Shawneetown, Illinois next to her husband and son on a family plot overlooking the beautiful, rolling hills of farmland. Graveside service will be held 10 a.m., Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at Westwood Cemetery in Shawneetown, Illinois. Visitation will be 4 to 6 p.m., Monday, November 22, 2010 at Vickery Funeral Chapel in Shawneetown. Arrangements in Fayetteville were by Moore's Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family would like to encourage donations to The Washington Regional Hospice Program, 34 Colt Square, Suite #1, Fayetteville, AR 72703. Internet condolences may be made at the website, www.vickeryfuneralchapel.com.