The Rev. Edmond F. Miller

The Rev. Edmond F. Miller

West Chicago, Ill.

The Rev. Edmond F. Miller, 90, died peacefully Oct. 31. A resident of West Chicago, Ill., he and his wife, the Rev. Wendy J. (Hill) Miller, celebrated their 65th anniversary in August. Rev. Miller served as pastor of Sugar Creek Mennonite Church in Wayland, Iowa, from 1980 - 1988.

Born March 9, 1934 near Walpole, Ill., to Allen and Myrtle (Russell) Miller, Ed was licensed to preach in the Southern Baptist Church at 16, helping to form five congregations in two years. He graduated from Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute and Wheaton College, earning Bachelor and Master of Theology degrees, and served with Wendy as missionaries with Youth for Christ in Frankfurt, Germany in the 1960s. Both were later ordained within Mennonite Church USA, serving congregations across the Midwest and eastern United States, including several assignments as intentional interim ministry specialist. In addition to Sugar Creek, he served churches in Illinois, Virginia, Indiana and Pennsylvania. In retirement he supervised persons training as spiritual directors at Eastern Mennonite Seminary and with several United Methodist (Regional) Conferences, and lived in intentional community in Texas and North Carolina.

A skilled carpenter and handyman, he was quick to offer assistance to those in need. Known for commitment to peace and justice, disciplined spiritual practice, as well as humor and skill as a storyteller and family historian, he never met a stranger and was quick to befriend any he met.

He also leaves five children and their spouses, Paul Miller (David Selmer) of Poland, Maine; David Miller (Julie) of Louisville, Ky.; Mark Miller (Wendy) of Hesston, Kan.; Scott Miller (Laura) of West Chicago, and Heidi Miller (Gary MacDonald) of Lawrenceville, Ga.; 14 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; a sister and her husband, Judy Miller (Jerry) of Vienna, Ill., and beloved in-laws in the U.K., Canada and Thailand.

A memorial service will be celebrated with livestream December 14 at 2:30 p.m. CST at St. Andrew United Methodist Church of Carol Stream, Ill. Memorial contributions may be made to Mennonite Disaster Service at mds.org. A full obituary and condolences are at Legacy.com.