Marlene Kay Miller

Marlene Kay (Knight) Miller

Born February 12, 1939 in Akron, Ohio

Died in her home on August 14, 2025 near Mansfield, Missouri

Marlene was a city girl who grew up in Akron, OH. She was the second oldest of five sisters. Her dad was a hardworking man who loved his girls.. Her mother was a faithful Christian, but died in 1968 at the young age of 56, leaving Marlene and her sisters to navigate life without her prayerful support. The 5 sisters stayed very close throughout the years, making a point to gather at least every 2 years with all the kids and sharing many memories and lots of laughter.

Marlene was a creative young lady who learned to play the piano and loved to scrapbook. She would keep pretty pictures out of magazines and use them for large children's songbooks for VBS and church.

In 1957 she graduated from high school. On July 5th, 1958, she married Gaylerd. Soon after their wedding, they moved to Grantham, Pennsylvania, so Gaylerd could complete his training at Messiah College. While there, Marlene helped run the household for an older couple and care for the invalid wife.

On May 30, 1959, their first son, Samuel, was born and about six weeks later they went to do Home Missions work at a church in West Virginia. Being that Marlene was a city girl in the backwoods of West Virginia, she kept Sam in bed with them because she was afraid the rats might chew on him. She also tried baking a cake in the wood cook stove, but the roaring fire she built turned the cake black in about three or four minutes.

When Sam was about a year old, they went to Kentucky to take on the Knifley Brethren in Christ pastorate. The parsonage was small but it had electricity, running water, and other modern conveniences that made her feel more at home. They threw themselves into the work there and built up a large youth group through special services, Vacation Bible Schools and lots of singing. Those children's chorus books that she made helped to teach the kids the songs. They visited shut-ins and had services at the local public grade school.

In 1961, Linnea Joy was born, adding joy to their family. She and Sam kept their mama busy. At some point in their early childhood, they were having quite a fun time playing in some muddy water near the church parking area. Marlene nearly came unglued when she discovered them, because she knew they were playing in some septic tank lateral overflow. She cleaned them quite thoroughly, much to their dismay.

In 1967, they moved to Dayton, Ohio. Their third child, Steven, joined the family while they were there. In 1969, they moved to the Seymour/Mansfield area. In 1972, Anita was born.

Mom was a frugal and industrious home maker and helper. She could stretch a dollar a long way. We would teased her that she could pinch a penny until it screamed. She canned thousands of jars of produce and meat. She worked full time outside the home to enable the children to attend Christian schools.

Even after her children were grown, she supported financially by giving tours and cleaning for the Laura Ingalls Wilder Rock House.

She also worked at a workshop/home for the developmentally challenged, helping them with many basic everyday skills. This was heavy work, both physically and emotionally.

She and Gaylerd diligently cared for his handicapped sister, Carol Jean Miller, for 12 years (2000-2012) following the passing of Galen and Florence.

In Marlene's free time, she enjoyed collecting stamps and being with her kids and grandkids. There is an old buffet lovingly remembered as the "bean cabinet" in the kitchen because she stored various utensils to measure, pour, and play with dried beans. No doubt she had some sweeping to do afterwards but she knew where the grands were.

She wrote cards to encourage her family and friends and celebrate their milestones. She gave many "sunshine boxes" to people that were sick to cheer them up. She grieved when her health prevented her from continuing this ministry.

She was gracious and grateful. She was a faithful prayer warrior, praying her way through her daily tasks and lifting her family and friends before the Lord regularly.

Marlene is preceded in death by her parents, Sam and Edna (Fausnight) Knight; two sisters Glenna Knight, and Martha (Knight) Book; husband, Gaylerd Miller, and a son, Steven Miller.

Marlene is survived by two sisters; Ruth (Vince) Hamm of Red Hill, PA, Lavonne (Will) Overholt of Seymour, MO, and a brother-in-law, David Book of Columbia, KY; three children, Samuel (Cynthia) Miller of Mansfield, MO, Joy Miller of Columbia, KY, and Anita (Jason) Mardis of Columbia, KY; 8 grandchildren, Sandra (Jon) Kreutzweiser, Laura (Justin) Schaper, Hanna (Jacob) Blair, David (Katie) Streeval, Stephanie Unfred, Stanley Miller, Wesley Miller, and Destiny Coomer (Nick); 9 great-grandchildren, Pierre Arnette, Evan and Finley Kreutzweiser, Colton, Chloe, and Cadence Schaper, Jackson Blair, and Wyatt and Ganon Coomer; and a host of family and friends.