Marla Jane (Herrman) Miller, 70, of Bettendorf, passed away Sunday, February 24, 2019, surrounded by family at her daughter’s home in Overland Park, Kansas. Funeral services will be at 12:00 Monday, March 4, 2019, at Runge Mortuary. Visitation will be from 2:00 to 4:00 pm Sunday, March 3rd. Burial at Memorial Park will follow at a later date. Memorials may be made to the Melanoma Research Foundation. Online condolences may be expressed at www.rungemortuary.com.
Marla was born to loving parents Glen and Eleanore (Leidenfrost) Herrman in Davenport. She was raised there, attending Jefferson Elementary, J.B. Young, and graduating from Central High School in 1966. Marla began a path of caring for others when she moved to Rock Island to attend St. Anthony’s Nursing School, graduating in April 1969. She became the night shift charge nurse on the post-surgery ward at St. Luke’s Hospital (now Genesis East). She worked as a stewardess for a short time with TWA flying out of Chicago. On December 4, 1971, Marla became an Army wife when she was united in marriage to Melvin A. “Buster” Miller. They honeymooned in the Pacific including Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Hawaii. Upon returning, they began years of Army assignments in California, Georgia, Hawaii, Nebraska, Virginia, and Rock Island. During that time, she worked as a Registered Nurse at many hospitals and they had three children. She stayed home during their younger years to raise them, volunteering with school PTA’s, clubs, and sports. While living in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1988, Marla went back to nursing at Mt. Vernon Hospital. In 1995, she became a Health Tech at the Veteran’s Outpatient Clinic in Bettendorf. On her birthday, March 31, 2016, she retired from the VA. This gave her more time to spend with her grandchildren whom she adored.
Marla also enjoyed reading the newspaper, watching tennis, spending time with family, and eating out at restaurants. Her caring heart, warm smile, and joyous laugh will be missed by many.
Those left to honor Marla’s memory include her husband of 47 years, Buster; their children and their spouses: Merrick (Jen) Miller, Maureen (Jim) Liljegren, and Aubrey Miller; her sisters Diane (Randy) Sehmann, and Juli (Mark) Fritz; 6 grandchildren, an aunt, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
In addition to her parents and grandparents, she was preceded in death by her son, Matthew Miller.
