Miller, Helen Miller

November 22, 1922 – December 18, 2013

 

Helen Kathleen Miller (nee Lacey), one of the last Osoyoos pioneers, passed away on December 18th, after a spirited battle with a lengthy illness and is finally at peace. She will be dearly missed by daughters Bonnie Kuyten of Barrhead AB and Virginnia Harfman of Salmo BC, son Dan and daughter in law Sonya of Bridesville BC, nine grandsons and twelve great grandchildren.  She is predeceased by her husband Robert James Miller, and sons-in-law Harold Harfman and Bob Kuyten.

Helen was born to Katie and Edward Lacey in Oroville WA. Her parents homesteaded on Kruger Mountain and started their family on the ranch. They moved to Lacey Point on Osoyoos Lake in 1925 to start a dairy farm and Helen spent many hours delivering milk.  In 1953 they bought the Cudworth Farm on Sidley Mountain Road and moved the family to Anarchist Mountain. Helen and Jim semi-retired in 1986 when Danny and his family moved back to the ranch and their lives dramatically changed. Instead of just farming and ranching, they now helped out with four grandsons and all their extra-curricular activities, which included never missing their grandsons’ hockey games. Helen’s heart and passion was the western lifestyle, spending all her time with family and hard work on the ranch. She loved growing up in Osoyoos and fondly shared her memories over a cup of coffee and enjoyed writing about her experiences. Much of her and her mother’s memorabilia can be found at the Osoyoos Museum and Home Hardware.

A celebration of Helen’s life will be held on Saturday, January 11th at 2:00pm in the Rock Creek Pavilion.