Arla Ruth Miller Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Arla Ruth Miller, 96, formerly of Thomson, Illinois passed away January 26, 2022, at Allure Mt Carroll. Arla was born May 20, 1925, in Thomson to Guy and Maude (Curley) Brown. She graduated from Thomson High School, Class of 1943. Arla married Robert Miller on January 27, 1945, at the Albany, Illinois Methodist Parsonage, officiated by Reverend Doverspike. The ceremony was a double wedding with Lauren (Joe) Mitchell and LeVona Potter. For sixty-three years the couples remained close friends and celebrated milestone anniversaries together. Together Bob and Arla began a lifelong farming career in Thomson, raising melons before moving to their Lanark farm in 1955. Bob and Arla retired from active farming in 1982 with a continued interest in it and enjoyed going on car rides to see the fields and watching the crops grow. Arla often joked about being born a town girl, though she would always have farming in her heart. While living in Lanark, Arla was active in the Lanark United Methodist Church, serving as treasurer of the Education Wing Building Fund, United Methodist Women, and promoting the annual church bazaar held for 22 years. Arla will be remembered for her entertaining, cooking and sewing skills. She enjoyed hosting ‘Bob's Annual 1942 Class Reunion’ and the ‘Chicken House’ gang. In 1996, Bob and Arla left the farm and moved back to Thomson. While living in Thomson, Arla served for many years as a docent at the Thomson Museum and enjoyed sharing the stories of Thomson being the melon capital of the Midwest, the Brown brothers duck hunting on the Mississippi and early Thomson history. Arla was an avid WGN listener, and a great Cubs fan. Arla will be deeply missed by her daughters, Janie (John) Dollinger of Shannon, Illinois, and Peggy (John) Richard of Polo, Illinois; her son, David (Cari) of North Aurora, Illinois; her grandson, Mark (Shanna) Dollinger of Lanark; two great grandsons, Cooper J and Maddex L Dollinger and many nieces and nephews. Arla is preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Bob, her parents Guy and Maude Brown, brothers Burrell, Gerald, Harold, Gordon Brown, sister Harriett Brown, and in-laws Fred and Minnie (Weber) Miller. A private family inurnment will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to the Lanark United Methodist Church in Arla's honor. The family wishes to thank the staff of Allure of Mt Carroll for their wonderful and admirable care.

Arla Ruth Miller

May 20, 1925 - January 26, 2022