Jace Christopher Miller

Jace Christopher Miller, 46, of Waterloo, went home to Jesus Saturday, May 30, 2026, encircled by his family. He passed away at home due to complications of stage IV colon cancer after a courageous battle for over 2 years. He was born April 12, 1980, during a freak blizzard, in Waterloo to Brian and Debbie (Sergeant) Miller and life was never the same. Jace’s parents, desperate for a reprieve from his excessive energy for life, put him in swimming at the age of 8, at which he excelled throughout his childhood. He graduated from Waterloo West Highschool in 1998.

Jace married his neighbor girl, Becky Hostetler, in 2002. Theirs was an epic love story of forgiveness, restoration, and godly love only possible through Jesus’s redemptive love toward them. Together, they welcomed, raised, and later homeschooled five children. Jace was immensely proud of them, as he referred to them as “arrows in his quiver”. Jace worked extremely hard to take excellent care of his family as a sheet metal worker since age 18 and worked for Hawkeye Sheet Metal the majority of his career.

Jace was never in a hurry and took time to marvel daily at the beauty of God’s creation. He was a rock hound who loved birds, mushroom hunting, and especially bass fishing, but Jace loved Jesus most of all. He never missed an opportunity to tell others about who Jesus is and praise God for everything. His cancer gave him a platform to do this everywhere he went. “Cancer sucks, but God is good!”, was just one of many “Jacisms” he coined throughout his years. Jace was an active member of Candeo Church and his church family was as close as his own.

A friend to anyone he met, Jace never met a stranger and had a true gift of seeing people and making them feel seen, worthy, and loved. Silly and random, Jace had a unique and fun way of making people laugh. He also had the gift of encouragement and could spur on even the most discouraged soul.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Becky Miller of Waterloo; children: Jaxon (Olivia) Miller of Waterloo, Kate (Jeremiah) Jenkins of Waterloo, Al (Shye) Johnston of Reinbeck, Jake Miller and Andrew Miller both of Waterloo; his parents Brian and Debbie Miller of Waterloo; brother Cale (Jenny) Miller of Ankeny; lifelong best friend Gabe Nicholas of St. Louis; parents-in-law Steve and Diane (Lee) Hostetler of Waterloo; brothers-in-law Robert (Stacy) Hostetler of San Francisco, Ca, and Brian (Malinda) Hostetler of Overland Park, Ks; sister-in law Beth Soliz of Cedar Falls; nine nephews and one niece.

Family will receive friends from 4-7:00PM, Thursday, June 4, 2026, at Candeo Church. Memorial Service will be held at 11:00AM Friday, June 5, also at Candeo Church. Memorials may be directed to the family.