Miller, I. Elaine

I. Elaine Miller, 82, died Aug. 28, 2012, at Riverside Health Care Center in Missoula, Mont. Funeral arrangements are being provided by Garden City Funeral Home in Missoula, Mont. A memorial service will take place at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4, at Grace United Methodist Church, Missoula, by the Rev. Vicki Horn.

Elaine was born Dec. 14, 1929, to Aleta A. and Lee H. Poncin in Waterloo, Iowa. She spent her childhood in Cedar Rapids, graduating from McKinley High School in 1948. In 1949, she married Robert Pisney; they divorced in 1957. She married David Miller in 1976; they divorced in 1985. Elaine worked at Collins Radio Corporation as an electronics technician for 27 years. During this time she worked on the Apollo, Mercury, and Gemini Aero Space projects. She was active in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), president of the Hawkeye Labor Ladies Auxiliary and also served on the board of directors for the local chapter of the American Red Cross in Iowa.

After retirement in 1977, she moved to Missoula, Mont., where she owned and managed Dura Clean Carpet Cleaners. In 1980, she moved to Polson, Mont., and worked as a school custodian in the Polson school system.

In February 1987, she moved back to Cedar Rapids, but missing Montana, she returned to Missoula in 2001.

Elaine has been active in the Methodist Church, sharing her musical talents in church choirs. She always enjoyed the outdoors and was an avid fisherman; getting out to spend time on a lake or river was a special outing. She also enjoyed gardening of all kinds.

Her family includes sister, Joan Ortmann of Kalispell, Mont.; nephew, Mark Angellini of Wichita, Kan.; nieces, Debbie Williams of Lisbon, Denise Ortmann of Cedar Rapids, Julie Underwood of Mechanicsville and Aleta McNeeley of Columbia Falls, Mont.; sister, Donna Chapmon of Lakeside, Mont.; niece, Rebekah King of Lakeside, Mont.; brother, Dave Poncin of Grangeville, Idaho; and nephews, David Poncin of Pray, Mont., Greg Poncin of Kalispell, Mont., Rick Carey of Allen, Texas and KS Carey of San Antonio, Texas.

Elaine was preceded in death by a brother, Richard Carey; and her parents.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the music department of Grace United Methodist Church, S. 10th W and Garfield, Missoula, Mont.

Published Sept. 2, 2012 in The Gazette