Mabel Lucas Miller

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February 14, 2012

Anonymous The Tribune-Star The Tribune Star Tue Feb 14, 2012, 05:00 AM EST

TERRE HAUTE — Mabel Lucas Miller, 95, of Terre Haute, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, died early Sunday morning, Feb. 12, 2012, at her home following a series of challenging health problems.

Mabel is survived by a daughter, Sara Woltman and son-in-law, Billy of Dennison, Ill.; three granddaughters, Pamela (Doug) Feltz of Brownsburg, Cynthia (Bryan) Payne of Plainfield, and Rebecca (Terry) Gates of Dennison; a second daughter, Jean Mattox of Daytona Beach, Fla.; and three granddaughters, Peggy (Jochen) Riehm of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Judy (Craig) Wright of Newtown, Pa., and Kathy (Jeff) Orendorf of Orlando, Fla.; her son, Norman Miller, now of Terre Haute, daughter-in-law Debbie, granddaughter, Jessica (Mitch) Dornfeld of Portland, Ore., and grandson, Jeffrey Miller of New York City. In addition to her eight grandchildren she also was blessed with seven great-grandchildren, Zach Feltz, Josh and Aaron Payne, Madison, Jacob, and Caleb Gates, and James Thomas Frank. Of her many friends, her neighbor, Angie Bridgewater, especially became a very dear and important extension of Mabel’s family. She was preceded in death by her dear brother, Roy Lucas; her beloved husband, Charles Miller on May 26, 1970; and her loving parents, Joseph and Ethel Lucas; as well as many cousins, nephews, and other close relatives.

She was born in Rosedale, on Dec. 6, 1916, to Joseph and Ethel (Burton) Lucas. Soon thereafter, her family moved to Clinton, where she spent her childhood. When she was a teenager the family moved to Terre Haute, where she resided until she married Charles L. Miller of Paris, Ill., on March 9, 1938, in Terre Haute. She helped her husband with his farm business, performing various bookkeeping duties, as well as serving for many years as the secretary-treasurer of the Salem school district. Following her husband’s death, Mabel moved back to Terre Haute to care for her acutely ill mother, and made Terre Haute her home since that time.

After returning to Terre Haute, Mabel continued to learn and try new things. She first combined her strong sense of fashion and business skills by becoming an Avon representative. Subsequently, she worked at the former Meis Department Store at Plaza North, where she sold various items from linens to black lights, before finding her niche in the wig department. This work allowed her to draw from her lifelong interest and teen work experience as a hair stylist.

After her retirement from Meis, Mabel took the opportunity to travel and was especially fond of cruise ships, where she voyaged to Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, Alaska, and Hawaii. Through the persuasion of a boyfriend, she came to enjoy frequent fishing trips to Wisconsin and Arkansas, as well as regularly attending horse races in Kentucky, baseball games in St. Louis, and many seasons of Indiana State University basketball.

She also was an eager reader, exquisite seamstress, versatile cook, and a big fan of dance music, especially Lawrence Welk. Always an avid dancer, she spent many evenings per week at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Grotto, and especially the Moose Club, where she was a member for many, many years. She also was especially skillful as a life-long cat tamer, caring for and enduring the vexations of feline temperaments.

Above all, Mabel always cared for her family; she offered much encouragement, support, sage advice, and bountiful love. By her words and her example, she taught an independence of thought, a resilient strength, a meticulous nature and work habits, and a way of finding pleasure and excitement in whatever life gave her. She brought great and enduring joy and touched the lives of all her family, friends, and community.

For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made to Paris Christian Church.

Services celebrating her life will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. CST Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012, at Templeton Funeral Home, 600 E. Court St., Paris, Ill. Burial will follow in Edgar Cemetery, Paris. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday. Additional Information and online condolences at: www.TempletonFuneralHome.com

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