Phyllis A. Miller

Phyllis Miller, age 93 of Ridge Farm, passed away peacefully at her home on April 3, 2025. She was born Phyllis Ann Edwards August 13, 1931, in Georgetown to Ben Edwards, Jr. and Pluma Grace Brooks Edwards. On January 13, 1951, she married her high school sweetheart, Ronald Grider in Covington IN. They raised three children together, two daughters and a son, until his untimely death in 1975. In 1977, she married Rex Miller, inheriting three sons. They remained married until his death in 1997. In 2015 she married Gene Sprouls, inheriting three daughters.

Survivors include her husband Gene Sprouls of Ridge Farm, daughter Beth Haven of Blytheville, AR, son Larry (Missi) Grider of Georgetown, step-son Mike (Tonda) Miller of Ridge Farm, IL, daughter-in-law Judy Miller of Ridge Farm, IL, step-daughter Shari Hutson of Ridge Farm, IL and Gina Buhrmester (Randy) of Milford, IL.; grandchildren Emily (Bryan) Dunham, Ryan (Amanda) Kern, Lucas (Jessica) Grider, Ron (Barbie Corbin) Grider, Daniel (Kerry) Grider, Brooke Grider, Amanda (Steven)Schweickert, Jake (Andrea) Daniels, Zack (Samantha) Daniels, Kyle`(Matthew) Barrett, Erin (Lucas) Barton, Annette (Matt) Hernandez, Tyler Buhrmester, April (Jason) Evans, Andrea (Tom) Winn, Amber Bonomo, Nicole (Anthony) Lee and Josh (Mercedes) Land; great-grandchildren Brianna Cross, McKenna (Logan) Puckett, Kayden (Kim Wright) Kern, Kiyann Kern, Bentley Grider, Ava Grider, Hudson Grider, Owen Grider, Levi Grider, Elisa Grider, Blayne Daniels, Marly Daniels, Madison Daniels, Gavin Daniels, Ella Pietsch, Mason Pitsch, Tanner Bazarnyj, Cambree Bazarnyj, Ryder Bazarnyj, Clay Barton, Chloe Barton, Bailey (Robby) Hunter, Daniel Evans, Conor Winn, Addie Winn, Elizabeth Walls, Reece Walls, Lillian Taylor, Lilah Taylor, Anthony Lee, Landon Lee, Benson Lee, Matthew Land, Jayden Land; great-great grandchildren Havyn Cross and Brooks Puckett; special friend Julie Skinner and special sister-in-law Salena Fortenberry. In addition, she is survived by several nieces and nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren she did not know or meet.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Ben Edwards III, her first husband Ronald Grider, her second husband Rex Miller, her oldest daughter, Ronna Snapp, stepson Tim Miller, stepdaughter Teresa Land, sons-in-law Kerry Snapp, William Haven, Bill Hutson, grandson Todd Miller and many other family members.

Phyllis considered her main occupation as being a wife and mother. To make extra money she worked for Panhandle Eastern Gas Company for 26 years, reading gas meters daily at substations in Georgetown and weekly in Olivet and Ridge Farm. She also built a business from the bottom up, Fabrics Etc., a fabric store that included custom sewing and sewing lessons.

Phyllis had a beautiful singing voice and sang her first church solo at the age of three, “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam”. She sang for the next 90 years and thanked God that, while her body was failing her, her voice remained. She sang for weddings, funerals and special events. She was a member of His Friends, a mixed quartet for 12 years. She directed and sang in many choirs wherever she lived. Her husband Rex Miller was a pastor and then led churches in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. They also led tour groups to the Holy Land. She also traveled to Europe and forty-five of the 50 states, missing only Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii and Alaska.

She wrote her own epitaph. What she wrote could not have been said better by anyone else: “She loved the Lord. She was honest. She loved her family, her friends and her singing for the Lord. She sang for 90 of her 93 years and God seemed to keep her voice strong and sweet.”

A Celebration of Life for Phyllis will be held at 12PM on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center’s Houghton-Leasure Chapel 200 E. West Street Georgetown, Illinois 61846. Gary Romoser and Mindy White will officiate. Burial will follow at Forest Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10AM-12PM on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at the funeral home in Georgetown. Immediately following the burial, a dinner will be served at the Ridge Farm Friends Church 19 E. North Street Ridge Farm, Illinois 61870.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you give to the Ridge Farm Food Pantry, or a food pantry of your choice.

Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center’s Houghton-Leasure Chapel 200 E. West Street in Georgetown, Illinois is honored to be caring for the family.

Please join the family in sharing memories, photos and videos on her tribute wall at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com.