Funeral Services for Barbara Miller, age 75 of Hopkins, Missouri, will be held at the New Life Missionary Church in Bedford at 9 AM, Saturday, June 18, 2022. Visitation will be held at Cummings Family Funeral Home Friday, June 17, 2022 from 3-7 PM with family greeting friends from 5-7 PM. Interment will be held at Washington Cemetery in Gravity, Iowa. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed towards the family to be established. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.cummingsfamilyfuneralhome.com under Obituaries.
Barbara Ann Miller was born on February 19, 1947, to Arthur Dean and Lillie Alma Knowles Young in Clark County Missouri in the back of the doctor’s car on the way to the hospital. Barb spent much of her early childhood playing at the Christian church camp that her family lived on in South Missouri. When she was nearing kindergarten, her family moved to Athelstan and then on to Gravity Iowa, where Barb attended the remainder of her schooling. She enjoyed playing basketball during her junior and high school years in Conway and Gravity. Barb attended a church camp while living in Gravity where she accepted the Lord as her Savior.
On November 10, 1963, Barbara was united in marriage to Gordon Green. From this union, three children were born, David Wade, Martha Ann, and Thomas Allen Tyril Green. She loyally dedicated almost 30 years to this relationship until they later divorced. Barb was a homemaker and farm wife for almost 20 years. She always raised a huge garden, canning the produce she grew, and raising chickens and other animals. She enjoyed the farm life, fishing, and working hard. She was known to have many different pets in her lifetime, from pet coons, to a 10-year-old goldfish, to numerous neighborhood cats that she couldn’t let go hungry. She always had a pet dog close by her side, Always. Over the next 15 years she traveled many places around the Midwest, residing in locations too many to list. She gave selflessly as she was dedicated to her family and their wellbeing, making a home out of almost nothing. She may not have had a lot, but with a can of paint in hand, she would make every new house their home. She often worked multiple jobs wherever she could. She was found serving others with food, caring for neighbors in need, or spending time with a friend. At one point, Barbara and her family lived in a tent in Vail, Colorado, spending their time entertaining guests on a dude ranch. Each day, Barb would prepare chuck wagon meals on a campfire, feeding those who were touring the ranch. It was an experience the average person doesn’t get to enjoy.
In the mid 1980’s after she was over 40 years old, Barb went to college and earned a bachelor’s degree as an art teacher. She worked full time, while attending school fulltime and raising her family. After graduating she taught art classes at Rockport and North Nodaway High Schools. She shared her artistic talents by painting murals in area homes. Painting wasn’t her only talent; she was also an avid quilter and crafter. Her stitches can be found in many quilts made for seniors, grandkids, and veterans. Barb loved to create crafts and helped make corsages for her kids and grandkids weddings. Her artistic ability was amazing, and you never know where you might see one of her creations.
On one warm evening in 1992, during a motorcycle ride with her brother, she meet an eligible local bachelor from Hopkins. He took her on a bike ride, and everything else was history. On June 12, one day before Richard Tiny Miller got any older, they were united in marriage. They enjoyed many bike rides and hanging out with their best friends, Michael and Gaye Stahl. For many years they made weekly trips to eat supper together. This continued even after Tiny’s death, but without the motorcycles. One of their favorite places to eat at was Jay’s in Clarinda, Iowa. They enjoyed watching their grandkids grow up and were involved in many of their activities. She was a loving and caring “Grandma Barb”. Between her and Tiny, they dedicated many years to the local Hopkins Community. She served as Treasurer of the Hopkins Community Betterment Organization for many years, helping to raise money and see the completion of many projects in the community.
In 1996 Barb started working at the Maryville Treatment Center. She started as a guard, was dedicated, and worked her way up to sergeant in Control Center. She made many friends there and was a great employee. She loved being in charge and making inmates obey orders. She retired after 17 years of service on November 1, 2013. After her retirement she kept busy by attending grandkids and great grandkids activities, spoiling her two dogs, Daisy and Sophie, maintaining her garden, flowers, and yard, and most recently by making fancy lampshades. Every Fall you would find her in a yard with her whirly gig picking up walnuts. She would be so tired of picking up walnuts, but still be happy to help a neighbor when they “offered” her their fallen walnuts.
Barb attended church every chance she got in the many towns she lived in. In her final years she was a regular attended of the New Life Missionary Church in Bedford. Barb loved attending the women’s meetings and being involved in the women’s group. She looked forward to working with several other ladies to make Senior and Quilts of Valor. She loved spending Sundays with her church family and then Sunday dinners with Ty and his family or eating out with Jeanette Perdew. Barb knew the Lord and knew she would be in heaven with Him one day. Her wish is that her family will know the same and that they will be reunited in Heaven. She had a huge heart and loved her family with all her being. Barb loved being a Mom, Grandma and Great Grandma. She excelled at these roles. She made time to go to every activity that she could for her kids. Her family will remember the wonderful meals they had at Grandma Barbs or the new recipes she made. Barb was a great cook and a few of her family’s favorites include cinnamon rolls, Texas sheet cake, brownies, potato salad and wilted lettuce. She made those the best of anyone! Family and close friends will remember a couple of her common sayings such as “Yuns” or “I Missed ya Gone” these we often used by Barb and will always bring a smile to their face and a warm memory of a beloved woman.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Richard Tiny Miller, her father, Arthur Young, brother, William Young, and granddaughter Taylor Ann McCartney.
Left to cherish her memory are her son, David Green (Danielle Miller), daughter, Martha McCartney (Terry Skelly), Tyril Green (Christy), mother, Lillie Young, sister Lydia Brumfield (Randy), Grandchildren, Justin Green (Charlotte), Kelli Jo Wiederholt (Travis), Lacie Groom, McKenzie Benson (Trevor Hale), Shelby McCartney, Wyatt Green (Camille), Garrett Green (Twila), Faith Green, Ally Green, and Oakley Green, and six great granddaughters, several nieces, nephews, and many friends.
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