Grace Eileen (McCollom) Miller, age 99, passed away peacefully after a happy, much-loved, and productive life. She died on February 9, 2023, in Cedar City, Utah. She was born in Colo, Iowa, on September 1, 1923, to Forrest and Eunice (Webb) McCollom.
She grew up on a farm with her three siblings Mary, Ruth, and John. She graduated from Colo High School and attended Iowa Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa. While there she fell in love with her eventual husband, Harold. She noted of him in her writings, “We were in Spanish class and band together. I became aware of him sneaking my notebook of Spanish translations from beneath my desk. That later transferred into library dates and coke dates.” Mom wrote: “Once World War Two started I did as most girls did and quit college and was married…” After the war, they raised their four boys in Nevada, Iowa.
She is well-remembered as the Nevada School District’s School Board Secretary as well as a well-loved Cub Scout Den Mother to many of her sons and their classmates. She once wrote, “I enjoy reading, exercising, bird watching, sewing, travel, photography, my organizations, and, above all, my family and friends—and I carry on a love/hate relationship with my computer.” She really loved planning trips and the adventures that followed. A period of genealogical research led to a much-extended family tree and membership in The Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a life-long Christian.
After retirement, a decision was reached to “… leave (central Iowa’s) rigorous climate and join our friends in Arizona.” Grace lived on in Sun City West after Harold passed (1997) until 2005 when she moved to Las Vegas to be closer to sons Paul and John who lived in that area. Her much-valued membership in PEO began during her time in Nevada and was strengthened during her time in the Las Vegas area.
Grace was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Harold Lewis Miller; her son Paul (Carla); and her second husband, Dale Collings. She is survived by her three sons: Dennis (Sonia), Mark (Sandra), and John (Michelle); eight grandchildren: Chris, Carlea, Jessica, David, Dana, Sarah, Nick, and Luisa; two great-granddaughters, four great-grandsons, and one great-great grandson.
The move to Cedar City, Utah came after the death of Dale Collings and was accomplished so she could be out of Iowa’s winter and close to her son John and his wife, Michelle, both of whom have been sources of tremendous support to her in the last years of her life.
It is important and appropriate to express our heartfelt appreciation of the staff, Visiting Angels, and hospice team who lovingly cared for our much beloved Grace Miller at the assisted living facility, Our House, Inc. We want to include a particular note of appreciation to Mandy Hatch, RN, for her help during the hospice period of her life.
An inurnment service will be held at some, as yet undetermined, time at the Hauser Cemetery near Union, Iowa. The family asks that memorials be selected as people see fit.