Dorothy Lorain Miller

Dorothy Loraine Miller, 102, of Pine Island, passed away peacefully on Saturday morning, December 6, 2025, at Vista Pine Haven in Pine Island.

Dorothy was born March 9, 1923, in Genoa, MN. Her parents were Norman and Isabel (Mattenklodt) Kunz. She grew up in Oronoco. When the family’s house burned, they moved to a farm in Douglas. She met her future husband Max Miller at a dance. They married on January 6, 1942. Max enlisted in the United States Army after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Prior to deployment overseas, Max was posted on the east coast. Dorothy followed him to New York, working as a childcare provider for a doctor’s family on Long Island. After Max received his orders to go to Europe, Dorothy returned to her parents’ farm and worked first for Cutshall Photo Studio in Rochester and later as a dental assistant for Dr. Homer H. Pesch, also in Rochester. After WWII ended and Max came home, they made their home in Pine Island where their oldest son Richard was born. Shortly thereafter, they moved to the Kunz family farm in Douglas. While they lived there, their second son Norman was born. In the fall of 1950, they moved to what became the family farm in Pine Island where Dorothy lived until she was 100 years old. She spent her remaining years at the Pine Haven Assisted Living Care facility in Pine Island.

Her family and church were always at the center of her life. She was baptized, confirmed and married at the Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oronoco. She made certain that her boys attended Sunday School and were confirmed there also. She seldom missed a Sunday worship service even when she was more than 90 years old. She drove to church many Sundays in the winter when younger people did not venture out. Dorothy was a feisty lady who put her family first. She was a great cook, as can be attested to by the many friends of her sons who were very grateful when they were invited for a meal as were the local farmers when it was silo-filling time. She often said it took longer to fill their silo compared to the others in the area. She was truly a homemaker. After the boys graduated from high school, she took over their jobs on the farm helping Max milk the cows and care for the livestock. She always had a large garden. After Max died, she spent a lot of time mowing the lawn, insisting it be trimmed every week.

Dorothy is survived by her sons Richard (Diana) and Norman (Becky) Miller, all of Pine Island. She was especially proud of her seven grandchildren and her twenty-six great grandchildren plus two great-great granddaughters and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and her brother Maurice.

The family wants to thank the staff of Vista Pine Haven, especially her personal caregivers, for making her last two-plus years as good for her as anyone possibly could. In her final days, hospice provided outstanding care as she neared the end of her great long journey.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, December 13, at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oronoco with visitation one hour before the service. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Pine Island Food Bank, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church or a charity of the donor’s choice.