Ronald W. "Ron" Miller

NEPONSET – Ronald W. “Ron” Miller, 76, of Macon Twp., rural Neponset, passed away on Thursday, June 8, 2017 at his home.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, June 14 at the Neponset Methodist Church. Rev. Rebecca Klemm will officiate. Visitation will be held from 5:00-8:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 13 at Rux Funeral Home in Kewanee. Burial will be in Floral Hill Cemetery in Neponset. Memorials may be directed to the Neponset Methodist Church, Floral Hill Cemetery, the Neponset Historical Society or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

He was born May 22, 1941 in Macon Twp., son of W. Wayne and Mary Ann (Hood) Miller. He was educated in Neponset schools and graduated in 1959 from Neponset High School. He married Carolyn Carley on August 18, 1962, who was a 12-year classmate. Survivors include his wife, Carolyn, two sons, Mark (Rose) Miller of rural Neponset and Phil (Judy) Miller of Bloomington, IL; five grandchildren, Ariana Miller of Bloomington, IL, Mary and Lena Miller of rural Neponset, Kris (Jessie) Reed of Shelbyville, IL and Kanen (Shiloh) Reed of Mode, IL; three great grandchildren, Tess and Hemi Reed and Ariea Reed and his step-mother, Betty Miller of Princeton. Also surviving are two brothers, John (Sharon) Miller of Neponset and Bob (Laurie) Miller of Kewanee, four sisters, Beth (Jack) Sommers of Berthoud, CO, Lois Boese of Sun Lakes, AZ, Carol (John) Gerrond of Rockford, IL and Mary Jane (Lee) Stabler of Kewanee, brother-in-law, Merrill Gunning of Neponset, eighteen nieces and nephews and many great nieces, great nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Eileen Gunning and a niece.

Ron farmed for 47 years, milking cows, and raising livestock for many of those years. He was a charter member of the Neponset Historical Society and president for the last 20 years. He was a 62-year member of the Neponset Methodist Church and served on the church council for many years. He was a Macon Twp. Clerk for 14 years, an election judge, a former member of the Neponset School Board and retired volunteer Neponset fireman. Ron was a member of the Kewanee Racing Pigeon Club for many years and showed poultry at the Bureau County Fair in Princeton for 30 years. He raised Hackney horses and he Carolyn showed them in driving competitions in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Kentucky. He was also the Chairman of the Neponset Sesquicentennial Celebration in 2005.

Ron planted over 200 trees on the farm where he and Carolyn lived for the past 54 years. After retirement, he and Carolyn were members of the “Just Friends” Garden Club. He enjoyed reading and following retirement he read around 100 books each year. He wrote a book, “Passing Through” of his family life, covering the late 1930’s depression, through WWII, until he and Carolyn were married. He was very thankful that his grandchildren lived close by so that he could be a part of their lives.

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