Elsie Darlene (Neufeld) Miller

On Thursday, Aug. 4, Elsie Neufeld Miller passed away at Schowalter Villa in Hesston. She was 90 years old.

Elsie was the oldest child of Abram B. Neufeld and Agnes T. Doerksen Neufeld. She grew up on a farm in the sand hills near Inman. She graduated from Inman High School as valedictorian and homecoming queen in 1950. After working as the high school secretary for a year, Elsie volunteered with Mennonite Central Committee for the summer. She was sent to Gulfport, Miss., where she met Carl Miller. They were married in March 1952, and Elsie lived in Gulfport for the next 50 years.

Carl worked for car dealerships, holding several positions before becoming sales manager of the Chevrolet/Buick dealership in Gulfport. As part of a Chevrolet rewards program, Elsie and Carl traveled to Barbados, the Bahamas, Spain, London, Hawaii and Yugoslavia.

Carl and Elsie had two children, Kay and Kent. Elsie was primarily a homemaker, but early in her marriage, Elsie worked as a bookkeeper for a music store and gave piano lessons. After the children were grown, she was a sales associate at several fabric stores and, later, a church secretary. She also received top marks at Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College, where she completed her Associate?s degree.

Elsie was an accomplished pianist and organist, playing every Sunday for Gulfhaven Mennonite Church. She played for many weddings and accompanied The Seven Sisters, a singing group. She was also a seamstress, making professional quality clothing (including all her daughter?s clothing and her own). Elsie was a prolific quilter, creating dozens of hand-stitched quilts for friends and family.

After Carl passed away in 1999, Elsie decided to move back to Kansas to be closer to her family. In 2002, she sold her house in Mississippi and bought an apartment at Schowalter Villa in Hesston. During her time in Kansas, she revived old friendships and made new friends. She loved ?sister days? with Leana, Irma and Naomi. She attended her childhood church, Bethel Mennonite, teaching Sunday school and participated in Friendship Circle.

Elsie was preceded in death by her parents, Abe and Agnes, her husband Carl, and her brother Harry Neufeld. She is survived by her daughter Kay and son-in-law Ken Boehr, her son, Kent and daughter-in-law Cynthia Fore Miller, her granddaughter Lydia and husband Jon DeMonte and great-granddaughter, Luna. She is also survived by her sisters, Irma (Don) Gerbrandt, Leana (Orval) Regier, Naomi Neufeld; her brother Paul (Barbara) Neufeld; her sisters-in-law Jane Miller (Robert) Thomas and Donna Kaufman Neufeld and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held at Bethel Mennonite Church in Inman, on Aug. 20 at 2:30 p.m. If you wish to make a donation in Elsie?s name, her family recommends the following organizations: Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), Pianos for People, Once We Were Refugees or The Sewing Machine Project, in care of Miller-Ott Funeral Home, P.O. Box 32, Hesston, Kan., 67062.