Verda Jean Miller, age 94 years, of Elroy, Wisconsin, passed away on Friday, February 6, 2026 at Milestone Senior Living in Hillsboro.

 

She was born on April 8, 1931 in Oakes, North Dakota, the daughter of Leslie and Mabel (Peterson) Leigh. 

 

Verda Jean graduated with a teaching degree from La Crosse State College.

 

She married Robert Miller on June 20, 1953 at the Methodist Church in Mauston and moved to the Elroy area in 1956.  He preceded her in death on March 23, 2006.

 

Verda Jean taught school for a short time in New Lisbon and then worked for the Elroy-Kendall-Wilton school system as a Title 1 and Chapter 1 Reading Specialist for 25 years in the kindergarten to 4th Grades. 

 

She was a beloved school teacher and piano teacher.  She loved the Winnie the Pooh books and would often read them to her grandchildren.  She had that small town kindness where she would ask servers their names and follow up with where are they from and if they are related to anybody in town.

 

Verda Jean lived at the piano.  Even in the past few months, the caregivers could wheel her in front of one of the pianos and she would still play.  Music always awakened something in her.  In her nineties and as her memory started going, you play a song on the piano and her eyes would turn into the eyes of that woman from the 50’s and 60’s.

 

She was a long-time member of the United Methodist Church in Elroy, Juneau County Retired Educators and Millards Prairie Homemakers.  She had a passion for genealogy, travel in the United States and she enjoyed doing crossword puzzles. 

 

Survivors include her children, James (Jane) Miller, John (Teresa) Miller and Roxanne (Mike) Breden; grandchildren, Aaron (Sarah) Miller, Ted Miller, Joshua (Mary) Breden, Sam Breden, Nathan (Johna) Miller and Amber Miller; and five Great Grandchildren.

 

In addition to her husband, Robert; she was preceded in death by her Parents; brother, Morris Leigh and sister, Irma Jaquish.

 

Funeral Services will be held on Monday, February 16, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Elroy, with Rev. Damon Pfile officiating.  Burial will be in the Millards Prairie Cemetery, rural Elroy.  A time of visitation will be at the Church on Monday, February 16th from 10 to 11 a.m.

 

The Picha Funeral Home in Elroy is assisting with arrangements, for online information go to www.pichafuneralhomes.com