Lana Louise Lepke Miller was born on September 30, 1941, at GCMC in Jefferson. She was the daughter of Harry and Ruth (Williams) Lepke. Lana passed away from cancer at GCMC on April 28, 2024.
Lana grew up on a farm northeast of Grand Junction. She was the typical farm kid with plenty of chores to do and learned to drive a tractor at an early age. She participated in several extra activities while in school and graduated in the first class of East Greene Community Schools in Grand Junction in 1960.
She attended a secretarial school in Omaha and got a job in Arlington, VA, working in the Joint Chiefs of Staff payroll office at the Pentagon. She moved back to Iowa after she and Larry became engaged and worked for the Iowa Farm Service Agency in Des Moines and then part-time for the Greene County FSA. She married Larry Miller on Dec. 30, 1962
As a wife, mother and farmer she used to tell us that these were her favorite “jobs” working side by side with Larry and Mike. Her pay was all the hugs and kisses she wanted. She also enjoyed being the “Lawn Ranger” manicuring the yards of three building sites.
She attended Central Christian Church in Jefferson and served as a deacon, an elder and worked on several committees. She volunteered for the hospital auxiliary, was a 4-H leader, helped with tutor classes, reading and recess classes for EG students and served on the EG alumni committee. Lana also enjoyed delivering Meals on Wheels for many years in Grand Junction and for church in Jefferson. She and Larry supported ISU athletics and attended football, men’s and women’s basketball games in Ames. She collected angels and teddy bears starting with a Steiff bear from her Dad.
In 1985 she received her coaching authorization to work as the East Greene junior high girls’ volleyball and basketball coach. She always thought she had good kids (and parents) to work with each year. After watching her own children in their sports activities, and coaching for 25 years, Lana continued to support her former junior high girls by attending their high school basketball games. She thought she was probably most recognizable from the back side as she suffered from “bleacher bottom!”
Lana is survived by her husband, Larry, of 61 years; her children Malinda (Darrell) Geisler of Grand Junction and Mike (Tracie) Miller of Dana; brothers Kip (Gloria) Lepke of Perry and Larry (Phyllis) Lepke of Story City; nephew Matthew (Christine) Lepke of Johnston and niece Emily (Lamont) York of Perry; two step grandchildren and a great grandson. She was preceded in death by her nephew Derek Lepke in 2021.
Funeral services will be held May 3, 2024 at Central Christian Church in Jefferson. Memorials may be directed to Central Christian Church and the Greene County Christian Action Resource Center (ARC).
The family is assisted by Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home of Jefferson, 515-386-8181.
