Linda Lou Miller

Linda Lou Miller, 80, of Robinson, IL, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at her home. She was born November 4, 1945, in Evansville, IN, but she called Grayville, IL, home growing up. She came up through school there and graduated from Grayville High School in 1963. Somewhere in those years, a young Linda sensed that God had a claim on her life and a calling into ministry, and she set out to prepare herself for it. That preparation began at Wabash Valley Junior College, where she earned her associate's degree in 1965. From there, she went on to McKendree College in Lebanon, IL, graduating in 1969 with a major in history and a minor in psychology, a fitting pairing for someone who would spend her life paying attention to people and the stories they carried. She then went east to Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC, and earned her Master of Divinity there in 1975. With her schooling behind her, Linda came home to Illinois ready to do the work she had been called to do.

Over the years that followed, Linda served many churches across Central and Southern Illinois. When she eventually stepped away from full-time ministry, she came to feel she had done so too soon, and it wasn't long before she was back in the pulpit part-time for a few more years. She paired that preaching with work as a teacher's aide at Palestine Grade School, where the students got a little of her ministry too. Even after that, she continued to preach weddings and funerals whenever she was asked. She also found a congregation of a different sort at McDonald's, where she was happy to sit for hours, talking with anyone who wanted to talk, always hoping to be of some help. Wherever she was, Linda was ministering. Her ministry was never separate from the rest of her life, and neither was her sense of responsibility. At one point, Linda worked three jobs at once to provide for her family, taking shifts at Hardee's and Taco Bell before preaching to her congregation on Sunday, and she kept that pace up for three years. She served biscuits through the week and communion on Sunday, and in her mind, both were a way of feeding people.

After so many years of feeding others, Linda found a place to be fed herself at Highland Church of Christ, where she worshiped in the latter part of her life. At home, she was usually found with a book in her hands. She loved to read, and her shelves held a little bit of everything, from Amish novels to biographies and history books. The Weather Channel was always on in the background because Linda was endlessly fascinated by the weather. While the forecast rolled across the screen, Linda often had a crochet hook in her hands. She made a good many afghans and scarves over the years, and she enjoyed quilting too. She would have been the first to tell you she wasn't an artist, but she loved art and knew how to admire it. And she admired nothing more than the work of the Creator Himself, finding real joy in nature.

That love extended to all of God's creatures. Linda had a fondness for horses, and over the years she shared her home with dogs she loved. But it was her cat, Princess Mittens, that was her pride and joy, and Princess Mittens knew it. She expected to be rocked every single day, and Linda was more than happy to oblige. Those quiet moments in the rocking chair were often set to music. Her musical tastes ran from classical to country, and she had the records to prove it. That love of country music took her to Nashville for a week every year for five years, but she was just as happy on the road with family. She took her mom and aunt on a trip to Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and North Carolina, and over the years, she and her family made many trips to Busch Stadium to cheer on her beloved St. Louis Cardinals. Traveling was a joy all its own for Linda, and she loved getting on a plane and seeing somewhere new, whether that meant Denver, Phoenix, or the Grand Canyon, whose grandeur drew her back three separate times.

But as grand as the canyon is, it's only a reflection of the One who carved it. The same was true of Linda. In every sermon she preached and every conversation she had over a cup of coffee, a little of the God she loved and served shone through. The call that first found her in high school has now carried her all the way home. Absent from the body, she is present with the Lord, and after a lifetime of serving Him, there is no place she would rather be.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Sarah Jean (Randy) Russell; by her grandchildren, Sophie Wirth and Kyle Wirth; as well as a number of cousins and other family members. She married Ronald H. Miller in 1985, and he preceded her in death on October 19, 2014. Linda was also preceded in death by her parents, Oscar Harry Lindley and Bonneva Catherine (Lingafelter) Lindley.

A time of visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 24th, at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson. A graveside service officiated by Rich Swisher will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, September 25th, at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Grayville, IL. Memorial contributions may be made to the Gyve ministry at "Highland Church of Christ," with checks made payable to the church. Donations may also be made to "St. Jude Children's Research Hospital," and memorial envelopes will be available at the funeral home.