Hays, Kansas-Elouise D. Miller, age 84, died Friday, May 1, 2015 at Hays Medical Center.
She was born November 24, 1930, in Alton, Kansas, to Clarence S. and Laura Areta Sparks.
She was a graduate of Alton High School and then attended a nine week summer school at Fort Hays State College. At age seventeen she began teaching school at Liberty Bell School and Mt. Hope School in rural Osborne county for two years, then five years at Woodston, Kansas.
At age 24, she moved to Hays and taught nine years of first grade and 44 years of kindergarten at Lincoln School. She also taught Fort Hays State Summer Lab School and for the Hays Summer Reading programs.
She received her Bachelor of Science Degree, Masters Degree and Specialist in Education Degree from Fort Hays State College. She also studied at The University of London, Zhejiang University of China and on an Around the World Study Tour.
Her awards include, Outstanding Young Educator for Kansas; Kansas Teacher’s Hall of Fame; Kansas Master Teacher; Who’s Who in America; Phi Delta Kappa Cunningham Award; Delta Kappa Gamma Scholarship and the Phi Kappa Phi.
She was a member of First United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, Sisters of Survivorship, Ellis County Historical Society, Sternberg Museum, Hays Arts Council,
Friends of the Hays Public Library, Cancer Council of Ellis County, Life Member of National Education Association, Life Member of Fort Hays State University Alumni, Past President of Hays Teachers Association and Past Delta Kappa Gamma State President. She was a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County, Community Assistance Center, Hospice Hays Medical Center and a Salvation Army bell ringer.
Survivors include one sister, Donna McComb and husband, Gail, Stockton, KS; one sister-in-law, Cathy Miller, Gilbert, AZ; many nieces and nephews including, Kathryn Rees and husband, Howard, Dodge City, KS; Michele Kee, Stockton, KS; Melanie Hoch and husband, Charlie, Topeka, KS; Leo Oliva and wife, Bonita, Woodston, KS; Peggy Kiper, Apache Junction, AZ; Junior Taylor and wife, Barbara, Shenandoah, IA.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, C.J. Miller; three sisters, Madge Taylor, Lela Oliva and Georgia Schmitz and her special friend, Fritz Meis.
Her body was donated to Kansas University Medical Center.
A memorial service will be at 11:00 a.m. Thursday at the First United Methodist Church, 7th and Ash, Hays, Kansas. The family will receive friends from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the church.
In lieu of flowers the family suggest memorials to Sisters of Survivorship, the First United Methodist Church or U.S.D. 489 Foundation for Educational Excellence.
Cline’s Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601 is in charge of arrangements and condolences can be sent via email to clinesmortuary@eaglecom.net.
