Cecilia Miller

CECILIA HAZEL MILLER:  b. 10/19/1926 d. 7/5/2016

Cecilia Hazel Miller (89) passed away at the Shawnee Mission Hospital where she was being treated for complications due to a heart attack.  She was born in Joplin, Missouri to Cecil and Hazel McCormick on October 19, 1926.  She is preceeded in her death by an infant daughter Cynthia Anne, and her husband, Harlan Lange Miller and one of her great grandchildren, Taylor Monique Merrill.  She is mother to DeLynne Merrill, James and David Scott and Chris Miller.  She is grand-mother to 16 Grandchildren and 14 GG Children.  A public viewing will be held at the Johnson County Funeral Chapel at 11200 Metcalf Ave in Overland Park on Sunday from 6 to 8 pm.  A Funeral service will be held at The Church of Jesus Chris of Latter Day Saints, 21515 W 101st St, Lenexa, KS 66220 at 9:00 am on Monday, July 11th.

A short graveside service will be held immediately after the Funeral service at Johnson County Memorial Gardens at 11200 Metcalf Ave in Overland Park.

Cecilia was named after her Dad, Cecil James McCormick.  When she was 3, her brother, Charles died at birth.  She remained the only child of Cecil and Hazel.  Both Cecil and Hazel came from large families, both of which smothered this only child with affection.  Her Grandfather, William Anderson Nickell was the principal of Joplin High School and owned several rental properties that helped sustain his family through the depression.  Her aunt Nina was her second grade teacher.  (She was also DeLynne’s second grade teacher)

Her father was a carpenter specializing in wooden floors.  He worked for a time in Kansas City on the President Hotel and the family went with him.  They soon moved back to Joplin where Cecil worked from his home on Byers Street continuing his trade.  Cecilia became involved with lessons in music, mastering the violin and piano.  Cecil made great sacrifices to make sure his daughter could practice by acquiring a piano and a fine Austrian violin.  At the time Cecilia graduated from High School, she received a full scholarship offer at Music to the University of Missouri.

Then she met someone at the hotel where she worked as a hat-check girl.  Claude Irlas Scott worked as a bell hop, toting luggage and doing errands for the guests.  Scotty was from the farm country and had lived in Joplin since he left home at 16.  He had graduated early from his high school in Alma, MO.  They married and Scotty was soon off to Naval Service.  He trained as a Radio Signalman and they moved to Madison, Wisconson where he studied his craft.  He was assigned to the Pacific Fleet and Cecilia moved to Los Angeles awaiting the arrival of their first child, Helen DeLynne Scott, who was born in Los Angeles.  Mom always viewed DeLynne as ‘her star’.  DeLynne’s first name was from Mom’s best friend in Los Angeles.

Mom and baby moved back to Joplin to wait out the war.  Scotty was released early from Kyoto Harbor in Japan, being a witness to the awful destruction of Hiroshima.  They relocated to Kansas City, KS into the Argentine district.  A new child came in August 1950, James Randall Scott, named for his Grandfather, Cecil James.  Cecilia’s mother died in the Spring of 1951.  The Kansas City flood of 1951 moved the family out of the ‘lowlands’, but the piano and violin were rescued.  Most of the other possessions went down river.  Cecilia was 5 months pregnant.  Shawnee, KS was their next destination.  David Michael Scott was born at the end of November 1951.

In about 1957 Scotty and Cecilia were divorced.  Cecilia married Harlan Lange Miller.  Harlan had been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints which met at Main and Gregory.  DeLynne and Cecilia were taught by Georganna Clark’s husband, Norm and they were baptized.  Georganna was to become a lifelong friend.

Harlan and Cecilia’s first child, Cynthia Anne Miller died.  She was born with congenital problems and passed away at 6 months.  It was a great tragedy to the newly wedded couple and to the siblings.  They were living in Overland Park, KS, on 71st and Glenwood at the time.  Cynthia was buried in white.  We all cried, irreconcilable for our sister.  The family moved to Lenexa at 93rd and Pflumm, across from the Lenexa Grade School.  Davey and Jimmy came home from school almost every day for lunch.

We continued to go to church until David was hit by a car during the ‘Primary’ meeting mid-week at the church.  I don’t remember church after that.  David suffered 3 broken ribs and a broken leg.  The girls would carry his books home.  Smooth.

Christopher Mark Miller was born into the family in March of 1960 much to the delight of all.  The family was so excited.  He was a hit.  David passed out bubble gum cigars to his elementary classroom.  Jimmy brought over his10 year old pals to see this new curiosity.  Cecilia, in her gown, kicked them all out of her bedroom where the baby’s home was.

Ours was a busy and productive household in Lenexa.  Mom and Dad both worked into the evening.  DeLynne was our baby sitter (she attended Shawnee Mission West).  We had chores, vacuuming every day, upstairs and  the stairs one day.  Downstairs on the other days.  When Dad came home, it was inspected and re-done if it didn’t pass.  Mom taught DeLynne the piano.  DeLynne was in a musical in school, “The Music Man”.  We marched to the music and sang the songs as loud as we could “76 Trombones” and “Pick a Little, Peck a Little” while drying or washing the dishes.

Ours was also a big yard with fruit trees.  The fall was consumed with raking and burning leaves.  Most of the fruit ended up on the ground which required a constant effort to keep it picked up.  And there was mowing!  This was the ideal house to learn the concept of work.

Mom was a seamstress.  All of our shirts were “Hand made”.  She canned.  We had jams and jellies in the basement.  Listening for the ‘pops’ of the sealing jars followed the wonderful smells.  She washed our hair at lunchtime and sometimes trimmed it.  We were different kids in the afternoon at school.

The “Old” 2 story school bordered our back yard.  In the summer, the Methodist Church ran a Vacation Bible School and when I was 11, I started going to Boy Scouts at the Methodist Church.  In 1963 (at 12), the Mormon missionaries knocked on our door and we were taught gospel principles that resonated (at least with Jim) and were baptized.  The church was at 82nd and Holmes in a brand new building.  David and Jim started going to church and participating.

Harlan’s parents lived in the Northeast part of Kansas City, MO and they became our grand-parents.  We ate Sunday dinners there often.  We also travelled to Joplin to visit Mom’s Aunts and her dad usually right from church.

Mom bought an OLD 1942 Hudson with stick shift on the column for $50.  It had a backseat the size of a small living-room.  David and I hoped she would never sell it so we would have it to drive.  It was sold.

We moved to Overland Park near 99th and Nall.   Cecilia worked at The Prime Rib in the evenings.  It was a very upscale Kansas City restaurant.  She would often come home with stories of movie stars and performers and autographs.  Our dog had a constant supply of steaks.  Cecilia would be off to work when we got home from school.  DeLynne went to UMKC and moved out on her own.  Then David and Jim became the babysitters for Chris.  Harlan worked in Insurance.  Jim and David continued going to church with members taking them to meetings both on Sunday and on the weekdays (for scouts).  We never really knew who was picking us up on Sunday, so Dad got us out of bed so that we wouldn’t embarrass ourselves.  Most of the time, we finished dressing in the car.

Sunday was a family sit-down dinner day with the meal served on the family china real silverware.  Mom would not let the boys do the dishes (yea!) – except for the pans.  Cecilia made pies for most Sunday dinners and sweet tea.  Eventually, we learned that sweet tea was NOT on the Mormon menu and David and I  quit drinking it.

Cecil McCormick died in January 1967 (65 years old).

DeLynne married Bill Merrill on July 3rd 1967.  It was a nice wedding the chapel of the LDS church.  The reception was right after at the Brookside Country Club with a band and everything.  The flew to Hawaii that afternoon for their honeymoon.  The folks had a wonderful party, it was a proud moment.  Both DeLynne and Bill worked for Hallmark Cards.

Around this time, Cecilia decided to “get her degree”.  She enrolled at Johnson County Community College.  She studied hard and graduated with honors (Magna Cum Laude).  Then she went on to study at the Kansas City Conservatory of Music at UMKC specializing on the Organ.  She also studied art and took on the challenge to copy the Van Gogh painting of “The Potato Eaters”.  That effort was framed in a gold leaf frame in her home always.  It was always a symbol of her efforts.

Once again, ours was a home of industry.  Celia tried to teach her boys piano, we did pick up some.  She also taught others in the neighborhood.  David played guitar.  He had a band and did wrestling in high school in the 127 weight class.  He sometimes practiced with Jim in the living room where the double globe lamp was broken more than once.  Statues that Mom had decorated had to be re-molded on occasion.  Marks on the floor had to be scrubbed out and wax re-applied.  Mom had a project to gold leaf the stairs and railing to the basement.  We  helped.  We did the laundry, cleaned the house, mowed the lawn, and taught Chris how to do it all so we wouldn’t have to.  I can’t tell you how many times I heard the phrase, “If I find another dart in the curtains, . . . “.  We enjoyed our dart guns.

At least once or twice a week, Jim would take Mom to work, so that he could use the car.  Harlan would provide the way home.

As Jim started preparations to go to BYU, Cecilia started looking to go back to church.  Once when our home teacher came to visit and asked about Mom coming to church, one of us said “She smokes” (and she did).  From about that time, She started paying a full tithing on her income, at first having me take the money to church and picking up a new tithing envelope.

Cecilia quit smoking more than once.  But with a renewed desire, she quit – cold turkey.  Georganna tells of a time when Celia heard a lesson about the Temple and was upset.  She realized then that she needed Harlan to come to church with her and they needed to target the Temple.  Harlan and Cecilia were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple with Chris and Harold and Grace Miller in 1971

As Jim went on a mission to Brazil in 1970, Cecilia was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints serving in many callings and contributing to development of the Church in the Kansas City area.

The week before her death, Cecilia wrote down a partial list of her callings in the church.  She served as a counselor in both the Relief Society and the Primary auxiliaries.  She was a Young Women’s President.  She served at Girls Camp.  She was a seminary teacher.  For 20 years, she worked in the Genealogy Library, helping patrons and doing family history research.  She was a teacher in all the organizations.  She served at the Chicago Temple for 18 months with Harlan once a month.  She sent 3 sons on Full time missions.

Harlan and Cecilia worked together to establish what later became the Riverview ward in Kansas City, MO where they established the ‘Cambodian Branch’.  Later they served in developing the Kaw River Branch in downtown Kansas City, KS.  Cecilia also served in the Kaw River Ward at the time Chris was the Bishop.  She developed the talents of dozens as she taught them how to play the piano and organ, at church, in her home and in their homes.

She sewed costumes for plays and events.  She made quilts for every grandchild and each of the great grandchildren.  She became a successful real-estate agent with awards for several million dollar years.

During this middle period of her life, for several years, she sang in the Sweet Adeline’s women’s barbershop quartet organization.  She also played her violin in the Johnson County Community Orchestra.

Harlan died in 1997 from an aneurysm.  His passing was quick, but it left Cecilia with many obligations which she worked to resolve.

She love to read and was almost always found with a book in her hand.  She read voraciously, often times exceeding 3 books a week.  Her mind was keen to the end.  She kept up with current affairs, reading The Wall Street Journal and other weekly and monthly magazines.

She was serving as a Librarian in the Indian Creek Ward at her death.

She loved her dogs and Clara was one of her favorites.  Penny, Sam, Jody were all good friends.

Her motivation was her faith in God, in Christ, in the family.  She spent time with the Scriptures and prayed over her family and friends and enemies.  She showed her faith in her service.

On Christmas Eve, every year, Cecilia would direct a gathering at her home to celebrate the Savior, Jesus Christ.  A meal was served in her small house to all the children and grand-children with the Christmas story read and Christmas carols sung.  It was her way of passing on her testimony of Christ. . Hers was a legacy of faith and service.  Thank you, Cecilia Hazel Miller.

Mom said the following to Mallorie the last time they talked. (in July 2016)
"I tell you, I have got the cutest family I have ever seen! If I'd gone to heaven and they said, "you can have your choice of family." I would have picked every one of you kids! I've never seen families any finer than what I have right now."

---