PARIS, Ill. — Grace B. Raley Miller, 96, of Paris, Illinois, passed away at 8:25 p.m. Saturday, March 14, 2020, at Paris Healthcare Center where she was a resident. Grace was born on Aug. 20, 1923, near Mt. Pleasant, Kentucky, the daughter of Arthur T. and Elizabeth (Baize) Stewart.
Grace married Jasper H. Raley on Dec. 15, 1940, and he preceded her in death on March 5, 1992, in Raton, New Mexico. She later met and married Emerson Miller of Sullivan, Illinois, on Dec. 30, 1995, and he also preceded her in death on Dec. 13, 2013.
Also preceding her in death were her parents, five sisters, and one brother.
Grace lived a good life full of faith in her never-ending belief in God and her family. She attracted many friends and enjoyable experiences through her life’s journey from Kentucky to Illinois, to Colorado, and New Mexico, and finally back to Illinois. She also took pleasure and pride in planting, raising, and talking to her flowers. That was one of her last wishes – to go back to the farm to plant her flowers.
Grace and Jasper had one son, Monty (Peggy) Raley, of Paris, Illinois; three grandchildren, Teri (Mark) Goodwin, of Danville, Illinois, Tobi (Troy) Sanders, of Paris, and Stewart (Kelli) Raley, of Phoenix, Arizona. In addition, there are seven great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren. Grace was also blessed to have a dearest friend, Susan McCune, who spent the last eight years with her as a trusted companion and housemate sharing many good times together.
For those who wish, the family suggests that memorials be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Services celebrating Grace’s life were conducted Saturday, March 21, at East Lawn Funeral Home in Bloomington, Illinois. Pastor Greg Wilhelm officiated, and burial followed in East Lawn Memorial Park. Casket bearers were Connor, Heath, and Mark Goodwin, Jake Miller, Troy Sanders, and Braylon Utterback. Visitation was at Templeton Funeral Home in Paris and Saturday at East Lawn Funeral Home in Bloomington.
Additional Information & Online Condolences at TempletonFuneralHome.com.