Lorraine Miller

Lorraine Miller, 93, of Onida, passed away November 5, 2025, at Highmore Healthcare in Highmore, South Dakota.
Visitation will be held 10:00-11:00 am Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at the Onida United Methodist Church. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 am Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at the Onida United Methodist Church, with interment following at the Onida Cemetery. CLICK HERE to watch Lorraine's service online.
Lorraine Viola Hiller was born July 15, 1932, in Onida, South Dakota, to Ralph and Genevieve (Schmitz) Hiller. She grew up in Onida and graduated from Onida High School in 1950. On August 10, 1952, she married Charles Miller at the Onida United Methodist Church, and together they shared 61 years of marriage. To this union three children were born: Charlie, David and Brenda.
Lorraine's strong work ethic was evident from a young age. After losing her mother at age 16, she took on a variety of positions to support herself, including working at the Rivenes Café and Cliff Hilton's Café. She then held a bookkeeping position with Birdsall Chevrolet Company before serving as assistant to the Onida City Finance Officer. During that time, she also took part-time bookkeeping jobs at the Onida Produce, Ken Miles Service Station, and Oahe Grain Corporation. In 1956, she began her career with the Sully County ASCS office, serving as program and administrative assistant and later as Acting County Executive Director until 1982. She and Charles also spent many weekends traveling throughout South Dakota and into North Dakota and Minnesota distributing outdoor patio furniture made by the Black Hills Workshop School. In 1984, Lorraine was appointed Sully County Director of Equalization, where she became a certified assessor and appraiser. After ten years in that position, she retired in 1994.
Lorraine was a lifelong member of the American Legion Auxiliary and the Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars. She was also a member of the Onida United Methodist Church, where she served as treasurer for a time.
Lorraine and Charles' home was always filled with family, friends, and the smell of something delicious from the kitchen. She loved to cook and host for everyone - from Sunday fried chicken dinners to weekday lunches for her grandchildren. She and her sister Ethel were known to make pies by the dozens, each one perfectly flaky with a lard crust. Every grandchild had their own favorite cookie, and Lorraine made sure to bake them six dozen at a time. Her popcorn balls were so popular at community fundraisers that they were often sold out before she had them made.
She enjoyed music and singing with the Sully County Chorus, as well as gardening, canning, camping, fishing and watching Twins baseball. Most of all, Lorraine loved spending time with her children and grandchildren, making memories around her kitchen table.
Lorraine is survived by her daughter, Brenda (Spike) King of Blunt; grandchildren Rachel (Cory) Comes of Blunt, Chip (Kendall) King of Highmore, Scott Miller of Wessington Springs, and Laura (Thad) Jacobson of Florence; great-grandchildren Carmyn Comes, Charles and Henry King, and Colin and Devin Jacobson; brother Roy (Charlotte) Hiller of Pierre; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles; her parents, Ralph and Genevieve; son Charlie and infant son David; sister Ethel Maskovich; brothers Marvin and Chet Hiller; and several brothers- and sisters-in-law.