Virginia Watts Miller

Virginia W. “Jinny” Miller, 99, of Waterloo, IA died at the Friendship Village Retirement Center in Waterloo on Wednesday, January 22, 2020.

She was born March 3, 1920, in Fairfield, IA, the daughter of Stanley Stull and Fannie Eide Watts.

She graduated from Murray High School in 1937 and Osceola Junior College in 1939 with a two-year degree. Following college, she went on to beauty school and became a beautician.

She married Rolland L. Miller on June 7, 1942, at her father’s funeral home in Murray, IA; he died October 19, 1990.

After beauty school, she had a hair salon in her home in Grand River, IA for three years. After marrying and during the war years, Dr. Miller set up medical practice and a four-bed hospital in Readlyn where the couple lived. Because of the lack of available nurses during World War II, Jinny assisted her husband administering anesthesia, nursing, cooking, and managing all housekeeping duties necessary for running a small rural hospital.

She was an active member of Trinity American Lutheran Church since 1946 and was past president of the Trinity Women’s Group as well as serving on the church board. She served as president of the Iowa Lutheran Women (ELCA), Waterloo Women’s Club, Waterloo Garden Club, Chapter FE PEO, Waterloo PEO Reciprocity Group, Hanna Loer Chapter of Questers, and YWCA board president. Jinny was Waterloo’s Mother of the Year in 1972. She was an honorary life member of Allen Hospital Auxiliary, serving on the board for 22 years. As the Miller/Watts family comes from a long line of quilters, Jinny became an expert of Iowa quilt history and spoke frequently to community organizations in the Cedar Valley. She also enjoyed painting, gardening, sewing, quilting, entertaining, reading, playing bridge, and 500.

Jinny is survived by her children: Sherry (Raymond) Yarema of Glen Ellyn‚ IL, Julie (David) Jones of Minneapolis‚ MN, and Dr. Kent Miller of Green Valley, AZ; grandchildren: Kristin (Michael) Nohaile, Kathy (Mike) Hardin, Christopher (Dannah Baynton) Jones, Anne (Steffen) Lutz, and Andrew Miller; great-grandchildren, Maeve, Nieve, Calder, Beckett and Lea; a sister-in-law, Edith Watts of Fairfax, VA; and several nephews and nieces, Harvey Miller, Dennis Miller, Janet Pickerall, Ralph Miller, Douglas Miller, Jacqueline Miller, John Watts, Jamie Watts, and Sarah Watts Benecke.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Rolland; daughter-in-law, Pam Miller; grandson, Nicholas Jones; and a brother, David Watts.