Barb Miller

Barb Miller, age 78, of Gary, South Dakota, passed away on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025, at the Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Funeral service took place Friday, Aug. 29, at the Gary Methodist Church. Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel of Canby, Minnesota, was entrusted with handling the arrangements.
Barbara Ellen Miller was born July 26, 1947, in Watertown, South Dakota, to Robert and Irene (Pearson) McQuarie. She graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1965. She then attended the Stewart School of Hairstyling in Sioux Falls. She was united in marriage to Michael Miller in 1969 in Clear Lake. They moved to Clovis, New Mexico, AFB for Mike’s station. During his deployment, she lived back in Clear Lake. While there she worked as a beautician for Lela TeKrony. They then moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, AFB for Mike’s next station. Their son Allan was born there, and she stayed home with him. After Mike’s service ended, they moved to Watertown  where their daughter Jennifer was born. Barb worked there at Spies Supervalu as a clerk. In 1975 they moved to their current house in Gary where she opened Barb’s Beauty Shop. Their son Scott was born there. 
Barb held many other jobs in Gary including working at the Alibi, at Bill Prindle’s office, managing the 109 Club and cleaning the Legion Hall. She was on the Gary High School Board and was the Sunday School superintendent and teacher at Gary UMC. Barb felt she had about 13 jobs all at once!
Barb loved life and touched many people, whether it was in her beauty shop, making goodies at Christmas, having garage sales or cooking meals for her family. If you left her house hungry, it was your own fault! She loved her grandkids and always had activities planned, including tea parties, even for the boys. Barb enjoyed crocheting, going camping, fishing, reading, Christmas, watching Hallmark movies, a good bargain and spending time with family. Mike and Barb loved to travel together, and they visited many wonderful places.
Grateful for having shared Barb’s life is her husband of 56 years, Mike Miller, of Gary; her children: Allan (Jessica) Miller of Chesterfield, Missouri, and Jennifer (Joshua) Brunz of Kasota, Minnesota; her grandchildren: Harper Miller, Elliott Miller, Isaac Miller, Daniel (Sarah) Miller, Sarah Brunz; and one great-grandchild, Scott Miller; her siblings: Marcia Schultz, Craig (Vicki) McQuarie and Jan (Gary) Quail; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Joan Berg; and her son, Scott Miller.