Joyce L Miller

North Mankato Mortuary - Northview
388-2288

Joyce Louise (Tyrrell) Miller left her earthly home on September 5, 2011, while surrounded by family members at Pathstone Living in Mankato.

Funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 10, 2011 at the Church of Christ in Truman, with Rev. Allen Burnham officiating. Burial will be in Horicon Cemetery in rural Truman. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. on Friday at North Mankato Mortuary - NORTHVIEW, 2060 Commerce Drive, North Mankato. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.

Joyce was born on March 4, 1920 to Earl Ward Tyrrell and Alice Jenny (Haskin) Tyrrell in Todd County near Browerville. She attended country school near her home, and at age 13 lived away from home to attend Staples High School in Staples. During her high school years, the Miller family, with 6 sons, moved in near her parents. Thus she met Donald Easton Miller, the man she later married.

After graduating from Staples High School, she attended business college in the cities and worked in Minneapolis before WWII. During the war, she moved to California to work as a secretary in the ship yards near San Pedro. When the war was over and Donald returned stateside, they returned to Minnesota and were married October 26, 1945 at the Batavia Church of Christ in rural Browerville. They moved to Dunnell and in 1952 Don went to work for the Larson Brothers farms as a hired man. They became members of the Horicon Church of Christ, rural Truman, where Joyce's brother, Leland had a ministry for a short time.

In 1958, they moved to a farm near Granada and farmed until retiring in 1980. Around 1961, Joyce started selling Tupperware and became a sales manager over many dealers for most of the 19 years she continued to sell. In 1980, Joyce and Don retired and moved to Truman and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1995. After Don died in 1997, Joyce continued to live in their home in Truman until 2004 when she moved to Gus Johnson Plaza in Mankato. While living there, she attended Eagle Lake Church of Christ. Joyce enjoyed quilting, playing Scrabble, and reading.

Joyce is survived by 3 sons, Bruce (Janet) Miller of Denver, CO, Dan (Nancy) Miller of Indianapolis, IN, and Rick Miller of Madelia; 1 daughter, Donna (Mark) Smith of Mankato; 4 grandchildren, Anthony Miller of Indianapolis, IN, Margaret (Dustin) Ryan of Maineville, OH, Chris (Carly) Smith of Lake Crystal, and Michael Smith of Mankato; 3 great grandchildren, James and Isabella Ryan, and Joshua Smith; and 2 sisters-in-law, Dorothy Miller of Sherburn and Irene Miller of West Linn, OR.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald; her parents; two brothers, Leland Tyrrell and Melvin Tyrrell; 5 brothers-in-law and 2 sisters-in-law, Raymond and Mattie Miller, Rolland Miller, Robert Miller, Kenneth Miller, and Virgil and Wanda Miller.