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Phyllis May Miller

November 12, 2007

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, Phyllis May Miller. Mom, passed away on November 12, 2007 at G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital at the age of 84. Along with grief also comes celebration of the wonderful person she was, and the life she lived to the fullest.

Phyllis was born the second child of four to Ruby and J.C. Mighton. On June 22, 1923 Phyllis was born in her grandfather’s house in Vancouver, her mother had traveled there from Pemberton where the family lived until 1929, they then moved to Aldergrove. In 1931, her father succumbed to injuries he received in WW1, and the young Mighton family headed north to the Cariboo and settled in Moose Heights.

Going to school for the Mighton kids, Phyllis, and her older brother Lee was a two hour marathon.They would take the bush trails to 10 Mile Lake School on the Barkerville Rd. Their mom (Ruby) on Sunday afternoons would walk them around 10 Mile Lake and then turn them loose in the direction of the Sousag’s home. Here they boarded thru the week and walked back on the weekends. As more families moved to Moose Heights they worked together and built the Moose Heights School, which put an end to the marathon walks.

After finishing school, Phyllis worked for many families in Quesnel and the Coca Cola Plant. During WW2 she moved to Vancouver and worked for Boeing, building aircrafts. During the war she kept in contact with a young man she had met in Quesnel, Alex Miller, who was overseas. After being discharged due to injuries Alex found his future bride. Phyllis and Alex were married in Agassiz, 1944.

Alex and Phyllis started their married life in Hope, there they farmed and had their first two children (Garry and Jim). The flood of 1948 uprooted the new family and they moved to higher and more familiar ground, Moose Heights. Here they purchased acreage and began to carve a farm from the bush that would eventually become Miller Dairy Farms. Here their daughter Kit was born.

Phyllis did whatever it took to be a mother and farmer’s wife from cooking in camps, to raising 500 turkeys, growing potatoes commercially, milking cows and of course raising three children. Phyllis was also involved in many community functions including 4-H projects with family and friends. The early years of very long hours and hard work were all a training ground for the future.

When Alex became very ill, they retired from the farm and moved to the KL on Longbar. It was only 3 short years before he passed in 1980, but not before they had carved from the bush a lovely log home. Armed with what she had learned from years as a farmer’s wife, Phyllis was able to manage on her own. She took great pleasure

in gardening, cooking, and sewing.

By herself or with friends and family there was always something being produced from borsht to wine. No one left her home without a car full of something she had either made or grew.

On her own Phyllis tried some new adventures like traveling to New Zealand and Ireland, swimming and entering the Cariboo Marathon, a cross country ski event.

Mom was a huge part of her grandchildren’s lives. She was always there to help with care and kept them in constant supply of homemade goodies. The grandchildren found refuge with Grandma, always kind and stable. We are so proud to be hers and she will be sadly missed by all that knew her.

Phyllis was predeceased by her husband Alex Miller, grandson Mike Collins and son Jim Miller.

She is survived by her brothers; Lee and Doug Mighton, sister Jean Bell, son Garry (Betty) Miller her daughter Kit (Gary) Collins, daughter-in-law (Nancy), five granddaughters; Dallas Hanson, Dayna Miller, Jennifer Collins, Jaidine Ketter, Trudy Miller, and three grandsons Lucas, Ben, and Jessie Miller, and 8 great- grandchildren.

A service will be held at the North Star Baptist Church, at 1p.m. Sat. Nov. 17 with Pastor Norman Botterill officiating.

The family has asked those wishing to make a donation in Phyllis’ memory, may do so to the Quesnel Hospice Fund. In care of Quesnel & District Palliative Care Box 4537, Quesnel, B.C. V2J 3J8.

We, as Phyllis Miller’s family wish to thank Dr. Walker, for his years of care, also Dr. Aziz for his

care, the wonderful nurses at GR Baker

for the gentle care they provided, and

special thanks for the home care

nurses for continual and understanding care.