Gladys Leona Miller

Gladys Leona Zoch Miller, 86, a lifelong resident of Williamson County, passed away Sunday, April 27, following a brief illness. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 30, 2014 from 6:00PM to 8:00PM at The Gabriels Funeral Chapel, 393 North IH 35, Georgetown, TX. A service of Celebration and Thanksgiving will be at 11:00AM on Thursday, May 1, 2014 at St. Peter Lutheran Church, 2929 FM 972, Walburg, TX, with Pastor Jeff Wallace. Interment will follow at St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery, honoring Gladys and serving as pallbearers will be Mark Miller, James Miller, Kyle Miller, Nick Rode, Larry Haygood, and Sidney Williams. Gladys was born June 26, 1927, in Walburg, Texas to the late Robert Bernard and Selma Helena Buchhorn Zoch. She was raised in Walburg and attended school at Zion Lutheran School in Walburg. It also was Walburg that she met her future husband, Louis D. Miller. Louis borrowed $20 from the bank to buy a ring, marriage license and dinner so that the couple could elope to Temple, where they were married May 1, 1944, in a Lutheran Church. They shared 70 years together and raised their family in the Georgetown area. Gladys was a long-time active member of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Walburg. While Gladys's first job was in the circulation department at the Williamson County Sun, she is perhaps best remembered for the many years she worked at Gold's Department Store in Georgetown. After she left Gold's she worked for Western Auto-True Value Hardware on the square in Georgetown. Gladys is preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Selma Zoch; infant son, Robert Louis Miller; infant daughter, Phyllis Gayle Miller; her brother, Helmuth Zoch, who died in Belgium during World War II; her sister, Irene Zoch and Anita Wappler and her husband Joe; her twin sister, Ruby Reardon and brother-in-law Jim Haygood; her mother-in-law, Lydia Miller; her father-in-law, Martin Miller, and Elsie Miller and sister-in-law Mart Ann Sydow. While Gladys lived her entire life in the Georgetown-Walburg area, she traveled throughout the United States with Louis hunting for antiques tractor parts. She also enjoyed gardening, hunting arrowheads and collecting Indian dolls. Her cooking was legendary and she was particularly proud of her cast iron skillet, in which she prepared many an outstanding meal. Gladys was particularly famous for her pickles; preparing cornbread and beans for the annual Texas Early Day Tractor and Engine Association Annual Show, and her contributions to community and church potluck dinner. Gladys is survived by her husband of 70 years, Louis; her daughters, Janet Rode and husband Luther and Diana O'Rourke and husband Jimmy; her six grandchildren, Nick Rode and wife Monique, Laura Cobb and husband Aaron, Alyssa Rode, Shawn O'Rourke, Sarah O'Rourke and husband Paddy and Karen O'Rourke; her two great gran children, Mason Rode and Julian Lyer; her sister, Edna Hagood; sister-in-law, Doris Ischy and her husband Edward; brothers-in-law, Ray Miller and his wife Betty and Vernon Sydow and numerous nieces and nephews. She also is survived by her beloved pets, a dachshund, Heidi and a cat named Alley; along with numerous other loving friends. Personal words of comfort and memories may be sent to the family on our online guestbook at www.gabrielsfuneral.com.