Lavina (Hill) Miller

Lavina Hill Miller, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, daughter passed away peacefully February 14, 2026 surrounded by her family. Lavina was born June 21, 1929 to John Williamson Hill and Ivy Dixon Hill, in Richvale, Idaho, in the beautiful Teton Valley.

Lavina learned to work hard early in life. She was the 8th of 10 children. Her mother passed away when she was eight, and three years later her dad and brother, Melvin, passed away. She and three of her siblings were raised by her sister, Murel. She worked on the family farm, herding the cattle, sheep, and pigs, picking potatoes and harvesting the hay.

She attended a small school a couple of miles from home. Once in a while she would ride the horse to school – the horse would then walk itself home – however, she most often walked to and from school. She attended Teton High School, walking to school the first year and riding the bus for three years. She graduated in 1947 with a graduating class of 20 people.

After graduating she stayed and helped on the farm until fall and then enrolled in Idaho Falls Business College and started working for a real estate company. She met Lowell in the fall of 1948, through a friend of her roommate. While talking and getting acquainted, she was called away to meet her aunt. When she returned home she was disappointed that Lowell had left, heading to Los Angeles City College.

While at work one day, she answered the phone and immediately knew it was Lowell, who invited her to his birthday party the next day. After, the letters flew back and forth from LA to Idaho Falls. In the Spring of 1949 they started dating regularly. Lowell decided to attend Idaho State University that fall, and they would spend time together on weekends. They were married April 1st, 1950, April Fools Day. It was treated with lots of jokes, especially when the Groom and the Bishop were late.

They lived in Utah, raising their children, while Lowell was working on his master’s degree at the University of Utah. In the summer, they would stay with Lowell’s parents in Idaho helping milk the cows and bale hay. They moved back to Idaho Falls when Lowell finished his master’s degree in 1958.

Lavina managed the family farm: plowing the fields, selling bales of hay, and helping load hay bales on trailers. She worked at the local elementary school for about 5 years in the school lunchroom. She was able to save enough money to travel to Europe with Lowell when he needed to go for work.

They started square dancing in 1963, dancing 4-5 nights a week. They loved their square dance trips to foreign countries and across the United States. They would spend their winters in Arizona and go on cruises with their square dancing friends.

After the kids were mostly grown, Lavina took oil painting classes. Lavina loved to paint mountains, ocean waves, lighthouses, and landscapes. It is rare to find a painting of hers that did not have trees. Lavina and Lowell enjoyed camping, staying at their cabin in Island Park, square dancing, snowmobiling, cruising to ports throughout the world, and spending time with family.

In 2005, they moved to American Fork, UT to be nearer to family and have made many close friends while here.

She is survived by her sweetheart of 75 years, Lowell Miller. Children: Dianne (Robert) Ashley, Evelyn (Bill) Peeler, David (Kathy) Miller, Christine Hiaring, and Kevin (Iras) Miller, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and her sister, Norma Corkhill.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Ivy Hill; Siblings Ethel, Wayne, Erma, Murel, Ivy, Melvin, Edwin, and Ester; Amber Dawn Clark, granddaughter; Tara Voorheis, great-granddaughter; son-in-law, Doug Hiaring.

We express our deep gratitude to the Aspen Senior Care caretakers for the kind and loving care of Lavina and Intermountain Healthcare Hospice caretakers.

Funeral services for Lavina will be held on Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 11:00 am in the American Fork East Stake Center Chapel, located at 825 East 500 North American Fork, Utah. Family and friends are invited to attend a visitation on Thursday morning from 9:30-10:30 am prior to service at the church.

Interment in the Highland City Cemetery.

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