Annette Miller, 84, "Anne-Annie", of Burlington, passed from this world to her heavenly home on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. She died at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center in West Burlington.
Annette was born on May 26, 1940, in Mena, Ark., to William and Nadine Graham. Her mother died when she was an infant. Her father raised her with the help of her Aunt Mary and “sister cousins” Patsy, Peggy and Aunalee. Her father remarried when she was six years old and Lois Edna Graham was her loving mother for 70 years. They all preceded her in death.
Annette and her family moved to Burlington in 1951. She was a 1959 BHS graduate.
In the early 1960’s she got a job in the 600 block of Jefferson Street as a waitress at Harold’s Café. Little did she realize that several years later she would marry the owner, Harold A. Miller. He preceded her in death on Dec. 21, 1996.
Annette worked several different jobs in the Burlington area including Woolworths, St. Francis Hospital, Sylvania and Champion Spark Plug.
In the early 1970’s she and Harold moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas and lived there several years. They had a restaurant there called “Speedy’s Café” and later owned a small neighborhood grocery store called “Miller’s 7th Street Grocery”. They also were local landlords. After they sold the grocery store, Annette became bored with retirement and enrolled in nursing school and became an LPN at the age of 50. She worked at a hospital for a while until her husband became ill, then he became her number one patient. When she moved back to Burlington she used those nursing skills as a home health aide.
After Harold’s passing, Annette hated to leave her beloved mountains of Arkansas, but decided to return to Burlington in 2000 to be closer to family.
There were only two things that Annette loved more than her family, friends and pets and that was church and music. She could play the piano, organ, and accordion. She started playing the piano at 6 years of age. She was often asked to play at her own church services and other churches as well. She would sing at church with the choir and in small groups for nursing home residents. Annette was a long-time member of Flint Hills Church of the Nazarene and also the Burlington Baptist Church and a Nazarene Church in Hot Springs. She was always ready for church, if not her own she would visit others. She taught Sunday School over the years to different age groups from young to old. She loved studying the Bible with different ladies’ groups. She could rattle off the books of the Bible in no time flat and could quote many scriptures by heart.
She also loved reading, working crossword puzzles and playing along with TV game shows. She was very intelligent and had an excellent memory. She was a very sweet, kind, thoughtful person and loved to laugh and have fun and be with people.
Annette was also preceded in death by her brother Zane, an infant sister Rebecca and a half-sister Lavonne. Her step-son Ronald Miller, her step-daughter and her husband, Patricia and Gary Tansey, a brother-in-law Jim Hutson and a nephew-in-law Jim Harris.
She is survived by two brothers; Larry (LuAnn) Graham, Billy (Shainna) Graham, sister, Dianna Hutson, step-daughter Marilyn (Marvin) Westfall, step daughter-in-law Linda Miller (Steve Mehaffy); eight step grandchildren and several step great and great-great grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, cousins, step aunts, step uncles and many, many wonderful friends.
The family would prefer that you not send flowers or donations. Annette had a gift of using her time, talent and treasures to bless others. She gave her time by visiting people who were lonely or sick, gave people car rides to wherever they needed to go. She used her musical abilities for anyone who wanted to listen and she gave money to others at times when she didn’t have a lot to spare, she would always throw something in the church offering plate and she always thought it was important to support the missionaries.
If you want to honor Annette, follow her example and be a blessing to others that really need it, we know that this would really please her. Annette no longer needs anything that this world has to offer. She will receive her reward in Heaven. Right now, she is dancing on the streets of gold and rejoicing and so glad to be free from all sickness, pain and sorrow and so very happy to see all her loved ones that went before her and most of all to meet her precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Everyone who loved Annette should shout a big AMEN for her. 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so, shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Thank you to all who loved and cared for Annette.
Open visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29 at Lunning Chapel. Private Family Burial will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery.