Martha D. Miller

We celebrate the life and grieve the loss of our beloved mother of many, grandmother of more, and a multitude of great and great-great-grandchildren.

When she was born on August 4, 1930, to Joe and Saloma (Byler) Miller, nobody knew the impact she would have on so many lives. On February 16, 1950, she married Dan Miller, a widower with six lovely little girls: Esther (Rudy Byler,) Sarah (William Byler,) Susan (Paul Gingerich,) Katie (Tobe Petersheim,) Dorothy (Lee Mullet,) and Ida (Robert Schwartz, now married to honorary daughter Ada Mae.) Together, they had nine more children: Emma (James Overholt,) Daniel, Joseph, David (Marcia Denlinger,) Martha (Virgil Miller,) Paul (Joyce Miller,) Steven, Tim (Rhoda Mast,) and Mark (Marilyn Hofer,) 68 grandchildren, 252 great-grandchildren, and 69 great-great grandchildren.

Home before her are her husband Dan, son Joseph, daughter Ida, son-in-law Paul, and several beloved grandchildren, Jon and Danny Byler, Andy Miller, Paul Richard Gingerich, Alesia Colevechio. Surviving her are her brother Joe and sister Ada (both in Middlefield, OH.)

In 1971, Mom and Dad moved to Seymour, Missouri, where they served their Lord in different capacities. They were members of the Ozark Mennonite Church. Mom was known for her unconditional love for so many people. Many walked through her door, enjoyed her coffee and company, and left with a lighter step and fewer burdens.

Our family owes an enormous debt to the special granddaughters Jenn, Melinda, and Katrina who were her caregivers, and to Linda McCann from hospice, who became a friend as well as a loved nurse.

In her early years, Mom was busy raising her children, some with special needs, playing a supporting role to her outgoing husband, and hosting an innumerable amount of people, some who stayed for years.

Later, when life was less busy, she developed a love for quilting. She sewed quilts for Apple Butter day; many more were made as gifts. She loved feeding “her” birds. She knew their names and their songs. We’re not able to list everything Mom was known for. Her gifts were many and varied, though she would never admit it.

Her last encouraging words to us as we stood around her bed were “Always trust Jesus and love everybody.” She left a legacy of unselfish living, humble service, generous humor, gracious hospitality, a genuine love for people. Her life verse: “Be not weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9)

She did not faint!