Willet Miller
Willet Miller
Willet William Miller (89) passed away at his home on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017, surrounded by family and loved ones.
Visitation will be held Friday, Nov. 3, from 4 – 7 pm at West Clermont Lutheran Church, and a memorial service will be on Saturday, Nov. 4, at 11 am, also at West Clermont Lutheran Church. Additional visitation will be held from 10 am until service time at the church.
Willet was born March 5, 1928, to William and Gussie (Kuppan) Miller.
He was baptized and confirmed at West Clermont Lutheran Church, and he graduated from Clermont High School in 1945.
In 1948 he married his childhood sweetheart Lois Olson.
The Millers began farming in 1948 and established a registered dairy herd called “Wilomi Holsteins.” Willet and Lois were the first farmers in Fayette County to be recognized as total cooperators with the Soil Conservation Service.
In 1978 his son Christian purchased their farm, and Willet began working as a claims adjuster for Farmer’s Mutual and Grinnell Mutual Insurance Company until he retired in 1990.
Willet became a Mason in 1970.
In 1971 he joined the Shrine and the Northeast Iowa Shrine Motor Clowns. He purchased a unicycle on his 46th birthday and performed as “Wheelie” the clown. Willet rode in a total of 763 parades throughout the years, helping to raise funds for the crippled and burned children’s hospitals. He was also a member of Clowns of America, International Unicycle Assn, Unicycle Society, and “On One Wheel.” He acquired skills of juggling, tight wire walking, diesel sticks, roller balls, unicycle on the tight wire, and was a master with balloon sculpturing.
He was active in the Republican Party and served as Fayette County Chairman, District Delegate, State Delegate, and a Regan Delegate in the 1976 Republican Convention.
Willet loved nature and described the beauty and magnitude of nature with poetry.
He also wrote many humorous poems describing actual events. He had a keen wit and loved puns that the grandkids called “Grandpa Jokes.”
Willet was an avid sports fan and made countless trips to Chicago to see the “Wait till next year” Cubs. He was also a big fan of the Chicago Bears, Iowa Hawkeyes, and local schools. He enjoyed watching family members and grandchildren participating in sports. Another highlight was skydiving on his 80th birthday.
His greatest love was his wife Lois and his entire family.
Willet will be missed by Lois, his loving wife of 69 years, five children: Leslie (Pauline) Miller of Ames, Paul (Carol) Miller of Clermont, Christian (Stephania) Miller of Clermont, Caroline (Kevin) Bemiss of West Union, David (Karen) Miller of Clermont; his sister Augusta Jensen of West Union; 17 grandchildren: Zach (Amanda) Miller, Sarah Miller, Jennifer (Mike) Elsbernd, Lisa (Matt) Grimm, John (Amber) Miller, Christopher (Kate) Miller, Alissa (Charlie) Gunsolly, Marcel Coco, Anton (Jarka) Coco, Patrik Coco, Laura (Tim) Remus, Andrew (Dani) Haskenhoff, Kedrick Bemiss, Jenna Bemiss, Kjerstin Miller, Rebecca Miller, and William Miller; 16 great-grandchildren: Elsa, Sylvia, Thorin, Bryce, Kaelyn, Layla, Brenna, Liam, Alyssa, Ben, Ava, Ian, Filip, Jozefina, Camden and Lennon.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Gussie Miller; and two sisters, Beryl Swenson and Mildred Habeger.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials that will be given to the Shrine Hospital and West Clermont Lutheran Church. 44u44