Ivon Miller

Ivon L. Miller, age 89, of Chadwick, Illinois, died Thursday, November 3, 2022 after a tragic two-vehicle accident near Mt. Carroll. A funeral service will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, November 11, 2022 at the First Brethren Church, Lanark, with Pastor Tim Swigart officiating. Burial will be in the Lanark Cemetery with military rites. Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Thursday, November 10, 2022 at Law Jones Eastland, Lanark.

Ivon was born April 6, 1933 in Lanark, the son of Theodore and Oma (Hawbecker) Miller. He grew up on the family farm. When Ivon was just four he learned how important family is, as he dealt with loss for the first time when his 5-year-old brother Gene passed away from measles. Some of his fondest childhood memories include rabbit hunting and being outdoors. Ivon is a Lanark High School graduate with the Class of 1951. He served in the US Air Force from 1953 – 1957. On October 22, 1954, Ivon married Shirley Paschal in Milledgeville. They raised four children and celebrated 56 years of marriage.

As a lifelong farmer, Ivon experienced the ups and downs of dairy farming. He was smart and used his keen sense of humor to get through. Most evident was that Ivon was a family man, and nothing was more important. He had a true partner in Shirley and they loved raising a family. Ivon had no desire to be a disciplinarian, he let Shirley do that, much to her chagrin at times. Instead, he was quick to play a game of pick-up baseball in the driveway or engage his kids in talks about history or politics. One Christmas he gave the three older kids a ping pong table and taught them how to play. He bought them a pinball machine, too. He worked hard, but he had a playful side, and his children loved playing games with him.

Ivon enjoyed studying American history, watching old Westerns, travelling with Shirley, or just riding in the country on a fall day. He had a talent for singing and shared this with his community as he was called upon to sing at many different events and Church. He was a member of the First Brethren Church of Lanark where he served on the Board of Deacons.

Ivon will be dearly missed by two daughters, Terri Hahler of Hillsboro, Missouri and Kristy (Chester) Strehlow of Forreston; two sons, Danny (Pam) Miller of Sterling and Dana (Jane) Miller of Mt. Carroll; nine grandchildren, John Hahler, Susan (Eric) Soto, Brett (Katherine) Strehlow, Cole Strehlow, Adam (Veronica) Miller, Katey Miller, Emily (Cody) Hansen, Kayla (Zack) Zobrist and Shane Miller; and three great-grandchildren, Isaac, Kinsley and Everly. Ivon was preceded in death by his wife Shirley, and two brothers, Gene and Lloyd.