May Louise Miller

May Louis Miller (née Glenn), beloved wife of the late David Miller (1919-2013), passed away in Walla Walla on the morning of February 24, 2024, at the age of 95 years. May began her life on September 24, 1928, in Montesano, WA, as the first child of Clarence and Alta Glenn, in the same house as her father was born. May was mother to Les (Sue) – Portland, OR; Linda (Lynn) Ferrin – Cottage Grove, OR; Beverly (Jerry) Jantz – Walla Walla, WA; and Dwight (Becky) – Fall City, WA. May cherished being a grandma to eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. An avid gardener, she now has aconite she shared blooming in all her children’s gardens in late February.

Raised in Ritzville with brother Ed and sister Lois, they had many adventures living near the railroad tracks during the Depression (hobos) and WWII (troops). She also had her best friend, Grace, to share her high school years. They graduated together in 1946. May spent summers with Ed at their grandfather’s farm in “Monte,” selling flowers (gladiolas) and vegetables (especially corn) by the highway. After high school, May spent more time in Monte with her grandfather and attended business college. Later the family was blessed with another sister, Christine (Gary) Leva.

In late 1946, May met David Miller at a community dance hall and sparked a courtship that culminated in their marriage in Spokane on February 7, 1948. May and David began married life in Spokane, with May working as a dental hygienist and David working in construction. During the fatefully bitter winter of 1949, David took a break from construction and began attending Gonzaga on the GI Bill while May supported them with her hygienist work. After David’s graduation from Gonzaga as a civil engineer in 1953 they hauled a 16 foot travel trailer to Alaska for the young couple, with David working with the Alaska Highway Commission on rebuilding the Alcan Highway. In Alaska, they lived in Valdez in the winter and at Trims Camp (near Glennallen) in the summer, with their first child, Les, arriving in Valdez in 1954. May based many of her stories over the years on their adventures in Alaska as well as her childhood antics in Ritzville and Monte.

After their return to Washington in 1955, May and David first settled in Spokane. While David was on his way to an interview for a job in Milton-Freewater he saw a billboard along the highway that the Corps of Engineers in Walla Walla was hiring. He was ahead of schedule, so he checked it out and was hired on the spot. He let them know in Milton-Freewater that he would not need the interview after all. Upon David securing a job with the Corps in the fall of 1955, they spent the rest of their lives in Walla Walla. With the births of Linda, Beverly, and Dwight at General Hospital over the next six years, they had their family complete by 1961, with May as house manager/homemaker and school/community volunteer. Active participation in the First Presbyterian Church nourished May’s strong Christian faith and a solid foundation for her family and provided her with many life-long friends.

May’s volunteering included many years as a Girl Scott leader and 14 years as an active PTA member at Edison Elementary School, for which she received the Golden Acorn award in 1973. May, with David’s later help, delivered Meals-on-Wheels around the Walla Walla Valley for 25 years and packed books for Camps Farthest Out for 14 years. She served in numerous volunteer roles at the church and was a Walla Walla County Park Board member for over ten years. May and David were also instrumental in the establishment of the Mill Creek Trail in the 1970s that we all continue to enjoy today.

In addition to gardening (member of the Cultus Garden Club), May had many other activities and hobbies to keep her busy, including bicycling (member of the Wheatland Wheelers), square dancing (member of the Hi-Steppers, Roundaliers, and Muddy Frog dance clubs), sewing and needlework (sewed most of her dance dresses and many of Dad’s shirts).

May loved connecting with people through church, schools, volunteering, and even part-time jobs as a poll worker for Spruce precinct for over 20 years and as a 1970 US Census worker.

We will all remember Mom for her momisms of “oh really,” “tra le la,” and “bunk.” The latter a veiled four-letter word that became more pronounced later in life as she surveyed her surroundings and life in general. Mom brought much joy to our lives and a bit of mischief to Dad’s more serious nature. Her four children want to thank the Walla Walla Odd Fellows Home for their care of our mother for the past five years and for making possible weekly video calls for all of us to connect with her and each other. It truly was “A Nice Place to Call Home!” for Mom.

A Graveside Service will be Monday, March 4, 2024, at 11:00 am, at Blue Mountain Memorial Gardens, with Reverend Albert Gillin officiating. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 13, 2024, at 2:00 pm, at the Walla Walla Presbyterian Church.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Walla Walla Presbyterian Church, Meals-On-Wheels, or a charity of choice through the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W Alder St, Walla Walla WA 99362. In addition, friends and family are invited to sign the online guestbook at www.herringgroseclose.com.