Funeral services for Virginia E. Miller, 93, of Albert Lea will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home. The Rev. Clayton Balsley will officiate. Interment will be at Hillcrest Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home on Monday. Online condolences are welcome at www.bayviewfuneral.com.

Virginia died Wednesday, July 5, 2017, at Oak Park Place in Albert Lea.

Virginia Elaine Miller was born Sept. 26, 1923, in Bancroft Township to Hans and Grace (Hanson) Lund. She grew up on her parents’ farm in Bath Township and attended the country school there. In her youth, she liked to play practical jokes on her family members and occasionally she got her brothers to help her. On Nov. 4, 1943, she was united in marriage to Herman J. Miller in Owatonna. They were married for 60 years until his passing in October 2003. The marriage was blessed with four children, Gloria, Elaine, Larry and Colleen. Like many women of her generation, Virginia stayed home and took care of her family. In addition to creating a home and caring for her family, she was a foster parent for many years to several children in need of a safe and loving home. Later in life, Virginia worked a few jobs outside of the home, but being a homemaker was her primary job.

Virginia enjoyed embroidery, traveling to see friends and family, bus trips with the senior center, reading, watching Wheel of Fortune — guessing many right answers before the contestants — her pet cats, fabric painting, putting jigsaw puzzles together, word finds and word search puzzles, beating her family members at games of Scrabble and baking. Virginia had a knack for entering drawings and winning several prizes throughout the years. Virginia was a faithful member of the Calvary Baptist Church congregation and later Bridge Community Church.

Virginia is survived by daughters Gloria (Dale) Schroeder, Elaine (Harry) Bergwall and Colleen (Kevin) Bates; grandchildren Stacia (Chris) Hansard, Brian (Shelia) Bergwall, Kelly Schroeder, Bonnie Schroeder, Cory (Renee) Bates, Kari (Zac) Davis and Cody (Isabelle) Bates; nine great-grandchildren; sister, Betty Anderson; and brother-in-law, Marlin Bates.

Virginia was preceded in death by her parents Hans and Grace Lund; husband, Herman Miller; son, Larry Miller; grandson, Jason Bergwall; brothers Arnold Lund, Melvin Lund and Leland Lund; and sisters Muriel Ingersoll and Dorothy Bates.

Memorials are preferred to Bridge Community Church, Youth For Christ and Albert Lea Hospice. The family extends a special thank you to the wonderful staff of Oak Park Place and Albert Lea Hospice for their kindness and friendship.

“We loved her a lot, but God loved her more,” her family said.

In memory and in celebration of someone who made this world a brighter and better place.