Lois Eileen ‘Loie’ Miller

Jan. 6, 1944 – Aug. 13, 2020

Lois Eileen Miller, at the age of 76, died peacefully on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, at the Schneidmiller Hospice House, Coeur d’Alene, in the presence of her loving husband and son. Lois, or “Loie” as her family and close friends called her, was born on Jan. 6, 1944, in Valley City, N.D.

Lois was raised in the small town of “Dazey,” located near her birthplace, by her mother, Nora Rasmusson, and father, Russell Waters, on a farm, later moving to Valley City where she attended school. She married at the age of 19 to Norman Jones and they divorced 13 years later. During their marriage, they moved to Concord, Calif., where she gave birth to a son, Troy J. Jones.

On Jan. 14, 1978, Lois married James Miller. They met while she was working as a waitress at a local restaurant in Concord. She worked as a waitress for several years in North Dakota and California. She had a delightful personality and was a friend to all with whom she had contact. I was once told that if you met Loie you loved her; I think that was true for most people.

The family then moved to Woodland, Calif. While there, she started an in-home childcare business and worked at that for approximately 10 years. She had a positive and loving impact on many children; several of them have maintained contact with her over the years. Our family then moved to Oroville, Calif., and we lived there for the next 15 years.

In 2002, after retiring, she and Jim moved to Hayden, Idaho, where she lived with family until passing.

Loie loved the outdoors and enjoyed camping, boating, waterskiing and swimming. The sport she enjoyed most was touring the United States on a motorcycle, riding behind Jim. She and Jim belonged to two motorcycle clubs, the Blue Knights and the Cal-Tex Riders, both law enforcement groups. Over the years they traveled well over 200,000 miles, visiting most of the states and three provinces of Canada.

Lois is survived by her husband, James; son, Troy; stepdaughter, Kathy Hill; stepson, Kenneth Miller; her sister, Beckey Wolhart; brother, Kenney Johnson; grandchildren, Andrew Jacobson, Jamie Miller, Mathew Miller, Jeremiah Jones and Hannah Jones; and great-grandchildren, Zoey Jacobson and Lucas Miller.

A celebration of life has been scheduled for 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, at Yates Funeral Home – Coeur d’Alene Chapel, 744 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. All are welcome to attend.

Friends and family wishing to make donations to the Schneidmiller Hospice House of North Idaho, in the name of Lois E. Miller, would be appreciated. The husband and children of Loie wish to express our deep appreciation for the loving care given Loie over these past months by the staff of the Schneidmiller Hospice House. They gave comfort not only to Loie but to family as well.

Yates Funeral Home has been entrusted with final arrangements. Please visit Loie’s online memorial and sign her guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.