Grace Helen Miller

LODI/WAUNAKEE-Grace Helen (Kreul) Miller, age 96, passed to eternal rest on Sunday, August 13, 2017, at her daughter’s home in Lodi surrounded by family. Our beautiful mother leaves behind five daughters and two sons; Jacqueline (Tom) McConley of Madison, JoAnne (Tom) Kassabaum of Florida, Robert Miller (Dottie MacDonald) of Arizona, Virginia (Ted) Trulson of Arizona, Patrick (Sandy) Miller of Lodi, Diane (Shirley Craanen) Miller of Lodi, and Dawn (Fran) Schwartz of Lodi; step-daughter Nancy (Bill) Bolton of Iowa; a sister, Mary Hebgen (Joe Hasburgh) of Highland; a friend of the family, Sister Janice Funk of Fond du Lac; as well as 17 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, 7 great-great grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Albert “Babe” Miller; son, Capuchin Friar Loran (Donald); special friend, Anthony Maier; siblings, Magdaline Laubmeier, John Kreul, Francis Kreul, Kathryn Costello, and Paul Kreul; grandsons Timothy Kassabaum and Dean McConley and daughter-in-law, Georgian Miller. Grace was born on April 18, 1921, in the town of Highland, Wisconsin to Urban and Margaret (Egan) Kreul. She married Albert Miller on November 26, 1936, the brother of her best friend, Isabelle Miller. They had five children prior to their divorce in 1945, but remarried each other again in 1960, eventually adding three more children to the family. They left the Madison area in 1962 and moved to an undeveloped area on Lake Wisconsin, Harmony Grove, to continue their life together. Early in her life, she worked at Rennebohm’s ice cream fountain on University Avenue. This later led to jobs at Bancroft Dairy, working her way up to the office. She ended out her career at Wisconsin Life Insurance Company, where she retired as a lead bookkeeper in 1983. After retirement, she volunteered at local nursing homes and was a caregiver to two of her grandchildren. Anybody who knew Grace knew how much she loved to play cards, especially Euchre and Five Crowns. She loved to cook and bake, making sure family always went home with leftovers. She had an amazing outlook on life and a trust in her Savior. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CATHOLIC CHURCH, 209 South Street in Waunakee, Wisconsin, on Saturday, August 19, 2017 at 11:00 am with Monsignor Gunn officiating. Visitation will be held at the church prior to the service from 9:00 am until the time of the mass. Private burial will be at St. Patrick's Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please support the great work of Agrace HospiceCare or St. John The Baptist Catholic Church. Special thanks to the many who have supported Grace and our family this past year, including the staff at Waunakee Manor and Lodi Good Samaritan, her dear friends Dorothy and Jerry Maly, the Capuchin Friars, Agrace HospiceCare, and Gunderson Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. She has been a role model to all of us with her strength, faith, and unending devotion to our family. Her independent spirit and unconditional love will live on in all of our hearts forever. Gunderson Lodi Funeral & Cremation Care 157 S. Main Street (608)592-3201