Helen Miller
Obituary
Helen Arlene (Bontrager) Miller passed
away Wednesday (Feb. 7, 2018) at her home at Schowalter Villa,
Hesston.
Helen was born Dec. 26, 1924, in rural
Kalona, Iowa, to Chris P. and Viola (Hershberger) Bontrager. She was
the second of seven children. The family lived on a farm and she
attended one-room schools in Johnson and Iowa counties.
Helen attended Sharon High School for
three years and graduated from Kalona High School in 1943. Her senior
year she lived in Kalona, working for room and board with a doctor's
family while he was called up for the war. She then worked as a nurse
aide for a year at University Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa, to earn
money to further her education. Needing a year of college before she
could get into nursing school, Helen enrolled at Hesston College.
While at Hesston College, she worked several jobs to help pay her
way. She scrubbed floors at Green Gables, waited tables in the
cafeteria and did babysitting for the John Kopenhaver family.
After Hesston College, Helen attended
and graduated in 1948 with her RN degree from La Junta Mennonite
School of Nursing in La Junta, Colorado.
Helen was employed in the nursing
profession at various hospitals and nursing homes for most of her
married life. Her first nursing job was at Goessel Hospital in
Goessel, then Axtell Christian Hospital in Newton, Halstead Hospital
in Halstead and, finally, Kansas Christian Home in Newton, where she
retired at the age of 68. She then worked various part-time jobs and
did volunteer work with RSVP.
Helen and C. Keith Miller of Hesston
were married on June 11, 1949, in Iowa City, Iowa. After completing
training, they moved to Hesston and Helen began her long nursing
career. To this marriage, three children were born: Douglas, Lowell,
and Janine.
A member of Whitestone Mennonite Church
in Hesston at her death, she was baptized at the age of 11 and became
a member of the East Union Mennonite Church in rural Kalona, Iowa.
After her marriage, she transferred her membership to the
Pennsylvania Mennonite Church in rural Newton (Zimmerdale) and after
completion of the new church she transferred it to Whitestone.
Helen had a passion for reading since
early childhood and read many books over the years, continuing until
the last few weeks of her life. She also enjoyed poetry, collecting
many poems she liked and making a scrapbook, even writing some of her
own poems. Other hobbies included crocheting and knitting, gardening,
traveling, handcrafts, church work and sewing. While at Hesston
College, she took sewing classes and sewed for family and friends for
many years.
Helen was preceded in death by her
husband, C. Keith; her parents, Chris P. and Viola Bontrager; her
sisters: Velma Yoder, Bette Messenger, Clara Belle Schlabaugh and
Carolyn Bontrager; and a brother, Marlyn Bontrager.
She is survived by her children: Doug
(Barb) of Oracle, Arizona, Lowell (Cheryl) of Newton and Janine
(John) Yoder of Ellensburg, Washington; one sister, Marge Friesen of
Newton; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m.
Saturday (Feb. 17, 2018) at Eastlawn Cemetery, with memorial services
to follow at 11 a.m. at Whitestone Mennonite Church, Hesston.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday (Feb. 16, 2018) at
the Schowalter Villa Chapel.
Memorial contributions may be made to
the Good Samaritan Fund or the Whitestone Church Agape Fund, both in
care of Miller-Ott Funeral Home, Hesston.
