Rena Jo Miller

Rena Jo Dutton Miller, age 80, of Burkburnett, Texas, passed away peacefully Saturday morning, November 8, 2025, in Hospice of Wichita Falls.

A celebration of Rena's life will be held at the Pavilion at Highland Cemetery in Iowa Park on Thursday, November 13, 2025, with Pastor Gene Holley, Jr. of Life Church in Wichita Falls and Pastor Trevon Norman of Life Church in Burkburnett, officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Aulds Funeral Home of Electra.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at Aulds Funeral Home of Electra.

Rena Jo was born July 21, 1945 in Ringgold, Texas to the late Melvin Ottis "Bub" Dutton and Essie L. Fox Dutton.

She moved with her family to Electra in 1954 when her father was transferred for work. She graduated from Electra High School in 1966.

Rena Jo married Jonas LaVern Miller in July of 1970. They divorced in 1997, but remained friends throughout their lives.

In December of 1982, she and Jonas moved to Billings, Montana. While in Montana, Rena Jo ran an in-home daycare, was a private housekeeper, worked in the public school cafeteria for Billings Public School District and also at UPS.

She returned to Texas in 1997. Throughout her life in Texas, Rena Jo lived in various cities and towns across the state. She worked in a bookbindery, at Foundation Garment Factory, was a home health aide for her mother (which runs in the family as her daughter, Stephanie, became her mother's home health aide for sixteen years when her health began failing), in a nursing home as a housekeeper and as a retail sales associate.

Rena Jo's family said she always remembered everything, and could especially tell you everything about Ringgold. She loved decorating. Rena Jo was an exceptional cook and baker. She made a peach cobbler that was out of this world, decorated ornate cookies, baked and decorated a special rabbit cake for family Easter every year and had a delicious boiled spice cake. Her grandson Nathan said that her potato salad was the best.

A good steak and baked potato always made her happy, as long as the steak had plenty of fat and was from the right place. She was also a phenomenal seamstress. Rena Jo hand made all of Stephanie's clothes when she was a little girl. She was the type of person who was always there for others during their darkest moments in life, no matter what or when. Rena Jo was also very witty and somewhat of a jokester. She loved her "Guess Whats?" and would tell people they made a better door than a window when they would stand between her and something she wanted to see. Candy also made her smile, especially 3 Musketeers, Baby Ruths, Peanut M&Ms, York Peppermint Patties, chocolate covered cherries and Almond Roca.

Above all, Reno Jo never gave up, regardless of how bad things could seem. She always remained positive and was a constant source of love and light for her family. Rena Jo was a devout Christian who believed in the power of prayer and served as a prayer warrior for many throughout her life. She was active in church where she sang in the choir, taught Sunday school and helped with fundraisers. Rena Jo instilled in her family the importance of prayer and reading the Bible.

Survivors include her daughter, Stephanie Tomlinson and husband, Trent of Burkburnett; three grandsons, Travis Wiens of Wichita Falls, Nathan Wiens of Burkburnett and Seth Tomlinson of Burt, Michigan; one granddaughter, Sara Hilson and husband, Bobbie of Billings, Montana; five great-grandchildren, Hadlee Mixon, Olivia Winters, Nevaeh Wiens, Braxton Wiens and Dre Hilson; three sisters, Sue Hale of Archer City, Peggy Jean Barker of Iowa Park and Linda Stell and husband, Don of Wichita Falls; two sisters-in-law, Norma Jean Dutton of Iowa Park and Tina Dutton; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Rena Jo was also preceded in death by the father of their child, Jonas LaVern Miller; son-in-law, Travis Lyn Wiens; her infant baby brother, Melvin Ottis Dutton, Jr.; three brothers, Bill Dutton, Tommy Dutton and wife, Mary, and Larry Dutton; one sister, Patsy Pittman and husband, Delbert; and two brothers-in-law, C.A. Barker and James Hale.

The family suggests memorials to Life Church of Burkburnett, 400 North Holly Street, Burkburnett, Texas 76354 or Hospice of Wichita Falls, 4909 Johnson Road, Wichita Falls, Texas 76310.

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