Phyllis Rose Lease Miller

Phyllis Rose Lease Miller, age 93, of Greenville, Ohio passed away on Friday, September 19, 2014 at State of the Heart Hospice, Greenville, Ohio. She was born April 18, 1921 in Wakefield, Ohio to the late Earl C. Lease and Florence L. (Clark) Lease. She was a 1939 graduate of Greenville High School and attended Dayton Comptometer Business College and Miami Jacobs in Dayton, Ohio. She worked at General Athletics, Frigidaire, Dayton Rubber and retired from Greenville Manufacturing in 1991.

Phyllis was baptized at and a member of Wakefield Lutheran Church and St. Paul Lutheran Church. She served on the Altar Guild and Landscape Action team, Greenville Area Women’s Connection and weekly Bible study. She used her sewing talents to help others. She made lap robes for babies and adults in hospitals and for the Veterans’ Administration, helped make teddy bears for children with cancer and large quilts for Africa.

She was active in the Ladies’ Auxillary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Greenville Memorial Post 7262, having served six consecutive years as President of the Ladies’ Auxillary, six years as patriot instructor, seven years as poppy chairwoman and made regular visits to the Veterans’ Hospital for many years. She received the VFW’s Citizen of the Year Award in 2010 and Auxillary Member of the Year in 2012.

Phyllis was a charter member of the Wood Sprite Garden Club since 1986 and helped decorate nursing homes for the holidays, along with other gardening activities for the community. She provided service to the Darke County Visitors’ Bureau, Darke County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Cancer Association of Darke County and Rest Haven Nursing Home. She was a member of the Business and Professional Women’s Club and was named Woman of the Year in 1994. She sold fair tickets for BPW for over 25 years. She also belonged to the Towne Square Quilt Club since 1981.

Phyllis was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, John Miller Jr. She is survived by her daughters, Dena R. (Robert) Nelsen of Bowling Green, Kentucky and Annice E. Miller of Minneapolis, Minnesota; step-granddaughters Alexandra Nelsen and Vanessa Nelsen; sisters Jean Klepinger and Martha Boyd; brothers Clark Lease and Donald Lease and numerous nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. The family extends their sincere thanks and appreciation to Phyllis’ caregivers at State of the Heart Hospice.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Paul Lutheran Church at 131 East Fourth Street, Greenville, Ohio with Pastor Peter Menke officiating. Burial will follow in the Greenville Cemetery. The family will receive friends Monday, September 22, 2014 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Zechar Bailey Funeral Home, Greenville, Ohio and on Tuesday one hour prior to the services in the church. There will be a VFW Ladies Auxiliary service at 7:45 PM on Monday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions (in lieu of flowers) may be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church Endowment Fund.

Condolences for the family may be expressed through www.zecharbailey.com