Hazel Verne Miller

Hazel Verne Miller passed away peacefully at her home in Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico, on January 7, 2026.

Hazel was born on March 2, 1927, in Phoenix, Arizona, to Leslie Trice and Josephine Hope Gordon Trice. She was the eldest of two children. A gifted student, Hazel graduated as valedictorian of Las Cruces High School in 1944 and earned the highest GPA in the state of New Mexico that year.

She went on to attend New Mexico State University, where she studied accounting. While at NMSU, Hazel was a cheerleader for the Aggies and a founding member of the Beta Nu chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha.

On September 12, 1945, Hazel married the love of her life, Bob Miller, beginning a devoted partnership that shaped the rest of her life.

Hazel was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is survived by her son, Steven Lee Miller, and his wife, Dianne Miller; her daughter-in-law, Judy Miller; four grandchildren, Leslie, Bobby, Garrett, and Jayla Miller; and six great-grandchildren, Eric, Matthew, Lauren, Brett, Breanne, and Hope. She was preceded in death by her son, Edwin Jay Miller, her husband, Bob Miller, and her sister, Bessye Ruth Trice.

Funeral services will be held at La Grone Chapel and Funeral Home in Ruidoso, New Mexico, at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, January 23, 2026. A graveside service will follow at Fort Stanton State Veterans Cemetery in Fort Stanton, New Mexico. A reception will follow the graveside service.

Hazel will be remembered for her intelligence, grace, and unwavering devotion to her family, leaving a legacy that will be cherished by all who knew her