Lyle Miller

Lyle Doyce Miller, son of Doyce Miller and Doris Heldt Miller was born December 1, 1929 in Yutan, Nebraska and passed from this life Saturday, February 1, 2020 at his home in Osceola after a brief illness, at 90 years of age.
Lyle received his early education in District 16 country school in Saunders, County Nebraska. The family relocated to Iowa and he graduated from Osceola High School in 1948. Lyle later attended Iowa State University where he graduated from the animal husbandry program.
Lyle met his wife, Shirley Ann Rowland at a fast pitch softball game and they were united in marriage June 7, 1953 at the First Christian Church in Osceola. This union was blessed with two children, Jody and Mel.
Lyle dedicated his life to farming. Along with his wife Shirley, Lyle operated Miller Farms near Osceola raising Angus and Charolais breeding cattle. Lyle was well known within the cattle industry and he served as a judge at many livestock shows and county fairs. In fact, many knew him as "The 'Ol Pro" when it came to cattle. He was a former 4-H and FFA member and served as a 4-H leader for the Osceola Go-Getters for over 40 years. He was also involved with the Clarke County Cattlemen, American Angus Association and American Charolais Association.
In addition to farming and cattle, Lyle loved playing baseball and fast pitch softball as a young man. The skill he mastered to catch and throw with the same hand was amazing. His other hobbies and interests included fishing, sports, especially softball and basketball, rodeos and traveling to the Lake of the Ozarks for family vacations. He and Shirley attended almost all of their grandchildren's music, sports or other special school events, often traveling many miles including out of State.
One of the greatest achievements Lyle and Shirley had was winning the International Livestock Show in Chicago in 1962. Chicago at that time was known as the "Grandaddy" of the livestock shows. Upon returning to Osceola the city organized a parade and presented them with the "Key to the City." Lyle named the steer "Top of Iowa" and the next year the IA Cattlemen's Assoc. flew Lyle and the steer to the Republican National Convention at the Cow Palace in San Francisco to promote Top of Iowa Sirloin Steak. Actor, John Wayne hired the Millers to groom cattle at his ranch in Arizona and baseball great, Mickey Mantle even received livestock services from the Millers.
Those relatives who preceded Lyle in death were his parents.
Lyle leaves to cherish his memory, his loving wife of 66 years, Shirley of Osceola, IA; daughter, Jody (Dick) Cox of Des Moines, IA; son, Mel (Lisa) Miller of Osceola, IA; brother, Jack Miller of Creston, IA; sister, Lorna (Glenn) LeRoy of Midland, TX; grandchildren, Kyle Cox of New Orleans, LA, Kristina Cox of Des Moines, IA, Michael (Jennifer) Stover of Tucson, AZ, Michelle (Kevin) Juon of Council Bluffs, IA, Morgan (Bryan McIntyre) Miller of Ft. Collins, CO; great-grandchildren, Madison, Kaitlyn, Jordan, Grant, Bryce, and Cael as well as many other relatives and friends.