Linda Loraine Miller

Born June 30, 1963 in Pekin to Carl and Helen (Schaefer) Gray, she married Davin Miller on June 25, 1988 at St. John’s (Sand Prairie) Lutheran Church in Green Valley. He survives.

Also surviving are one daughter, Jennifer (Travis) Moore of Pekin; two sons, Steven Miller of Morton and Matthew (Jennifer) Miller of Pekin; one granddaughter, Isabella Miller; one sister, Lori (Darren) Herrmann of Naperville; two brothers, David (Jane) Gray of Missouri and Daniel Gray of Bloomington and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and one sister, Sue Ritchason.

Linda was raised in a large Catholic family and often spoke of fond memories of good times surrounded by her parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Her parents raised her and her siblings in a loving home in Pekin where she attended St Joseph's Catholic School and then Pekin High School. She was living with her parents when she was introduced to her future husband, Davin, as a result of her mother and his mother (being good friends) getting the two together. It was love at first sight. Davin drove back and forth from Chicagoland to see Linda nearly every weekend until they became engaged.

Linda and Davin started their married life together in the Chicagoland area where he started his career. After having their first child, Matthew, Davin and Linda moved back to Pekin to raise their children around family and buy their first house. Later, they bought a little larger house and Jennifer was born. Steven followed a few years later as did a larger house in the Manito area. Linda was a stay-at-home mom and relished time with her children. Linda and Davin raised their children in a Christian home, members of St John's Lutheran Church (Sand Prairie) near Green Valley and sent all their children to Good Shephard Lutheran School where they were active parents in the school. As the years went on, Linda and Davin's parents aged and passed away until Davin's mom was the lone grandparent left. Davin and Linda had a house built in Pekin which was large enough for their family and also for Davin's mom, Arlene, to move in with them. Linda was like a natural daughter to Arlene and was very understanding about sharing a house with her mother-in-law. As her children got older, Linda would babysit other children in her and Davin's home and eventually started to work part-time at several daycare centers in Pekin. She worked the longest at the YWCA where she worked until cancer struck.

Linda was diagnosed with an aggressive form of ovarian cancer. After surgery and chemotherapy, Linda was only in remission for three months. Further chemotherapy did not suppress the cancer. Davin took Linda to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX, to participate in a clinical trial for immunotherapy. They traveled back and forth for longer periods of time for the clinical trial which initially reduced the cancer almost in half. Tragically, the effect did not last and the cancer grew aggressively again, despite last-ditch attempt of radiation. Linda stayed positive during her fight and her family and faith sustained her. The time in Houston prevented her and Davin from spending the time with their children and granddaughter that they wished. She and Davin spent precious time together during the fight though. Linda lost her nearly two year long fight with cancer back at home in Pekin surrounded by her family.

Linda was a longtime member of St. John’s (Sand Prairie) Lutheran Church in Green Valley, where her funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 3, 2022. Pastor Chris Sansom and DCE William Krueger will officiate. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday evening at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin. Additional visitation will be from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Saturday morning at the church. Burial will be at Sand Prairie Cemetery in Green Valley.

Memorial contributions may be given to Good Shepherd Lutheran School, 3201 Court Street, Pekin, Illinois 61554 or American Cancer Society, One East Wacker, Suite 1500, Chicago, Illinois 60601.

To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com