Pastor L. Joe Miller

REMEMBERING PASTOR JOE MILLER-HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY\r\n\r\nCharleston, IL-Pastor Lloyd D. 'Joe' Miller, of Charleston, IL, passed away on Saturday, August 17, 2013 at 12:55 p.m., at Odd Fellow Rebekah Home in Mattoon, IL. \r\n\r\nThe funeral service in his honor will begin at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, August 21, 2013, at Mitchell-Jerdan Funeral Home, 1200 Wabash Avenue, Mattoon, IL, with Pastor David Draper officiating. Interment will be in Hazel Dell Cemetery, Hazel Dell, IL. Visitation will be held Tuesday evening, August 20, 2013 from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., at the funeral home.\r\n\r\nUpon being diagnosed with Alzheimer's, Mr. Miller wrote the following:\r\nAccording to his birth certificate, Baby Boy Miller was born on November 16, 1931, in Fayette County, Illinois to Leonard Albert Miller and Regina Juanita Bumgardner Miller. He was later named Lloyd Dean Miller. Shortly after this, his grandfather Bumgardner's old mule named Dean died. His parents immediately called him Lloyd Joe. He has one sister, Marilyn Yakel of Brownstown, Illinois, and one brother, Larry Miller and wife Jan of Ocala, Florida. \r\n\r\nGrowing up, Joe attended several one room schools. His first day of school was quite eventful. On the way, he stopped at a bridge to watch the fish, arriving at school almost two hours late with bare feet, bib overalls, and a big straw hat, thus bringing an eruption of laughter by all the other students. When the Millers moved to the small village of Avena, Illinois, they attended the Methodist church. At the age of 13, Joe accepted Christ at the altar of that church. After graduating from Brownstown High School in 1949, he enlisted in the U.S. Army in September. Basic training was at Ft. Chaffee, Arkansas with schools to follow at Ft. Riley, Kansas and St. Louis, Missouri.\r\n\r\nHome from St. Louis on a weekend furlough, Joe met Wanda Barrington, and they instantly fell in love. On May 26, 1951 they were married in Wanda's parents' home in Altamont, Illinois by her pastor. \r\n\r\nIn December 1951, Joe was sent to Korea. While there he worked with missionaries. During this time he received his call to the ministry. He returned from Korea in December 1952, to see his beautiful baby daughter, Fayetta for the first time. She was born June 25, 1952.\r\n\r\nThey moved to Charleston, IL, where Joe attended Eastern Illinois University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree. While there, on January 19, 1955, a blond-haired blue-eyed boy arrived. He was named Terry Joe. In 1957, while attending Eastern Illinois University, as well as teaching and coaching boys' basketball at Rardin, IL, Joe and Wanda became members of East Harrison Street Church of God in Charleston, IL.\r\n\r\nIn 1958, Joe became pastor of the Hazel Dell Church of God in Hazel Dell, Illinois. Wanda graduated from Eastern Illinois University and began a career of teaching in elementary schools. In August, 1962, they returned to Charleston, Illinois to accept the pastorate of East Harrison Street Church of God. Their children, Fayetta and Terry, graduated from Charleston High School. In August 1972, the Millers moved to Shiremanstown, PA, where Joe served as pastor and worked at Central Publishing House as editor and writer of the 'Workman Quarterly' and 'Workman Teacher's Quarterly,' the adult curriculum of the Churches of God.\r\n\r\nWhen the publishing house closed, they relocated to Findlay, Ohio. There Joe met David Draper who was editor of the 'Church Advocate.' Since the new denominational office building was not completed, their offices were in downtown Findlay above a shoe store. Many amusing things happened there:\r\n\r\n 1.

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Pastor L. Joe Miller

November 16, 1931 - August 17, 2013