Lila S. Miller

Posted on Jan 20, 2012
Lila S. Miller

Lila S. Miller, 90, of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, died peacefully on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at Holy Spirit Hospital. She was born on August 22, 1921 to Nathan and Caroline (Scheidegger) Sprunger on her family’s farm in Geneva. She was the youngest of 11 children.
A lyric dramatic soprano and pianist, she graduated from Ball State University in Indiana with degrees in music and art. She moved to New York City in the 1940s to study and perform, and met her future husband, the Rev. James R. Miller. It was love at first sight, and they soon married, raised five children and one foster daughter and served congregations in Hackettstown, Riverton, and East Brunswick, New Jersey. In 1976, they moved to Pennsylvania where he finished his ministry at Camp Hill Presbyterian Church.
Throughout their life together, she not only served as an active minister’s wife, but contributed to worship through her gifts in music while continuing her own career as a soloist in New York, a choral conductor and a member of a number of prestige choruses. In the ‘60s, her local work included serving as artistic director, conductor and soloist for TriBoro Chorus, Philomusica and the Middlesex County Chorus in New Jersey. She also taught high school music and had a studio of private students.
As a member of Camp Hill Presbyterian Church, she sang with the choir for many years and was active in church life during the time her husband served as associate pastor. She also worked as a real estate agent with Detweiller Realty. When he became ill, they moved to Harrisburg and then to New Jersey, where she cared for him over the ten years of his illness. After his death, she returned to Camp Hill, and at the age of 75, drove and camped across the country, visiting friends and relatives.
Since returning to Camp Hill Presbyterian, she has been a deacon, a member of mission outreach, a MATE volunteer, and the co-founder of Quilters and Crafters for Mission.
She is survived by two daughters, Sarah (Alan Gross) Davies of Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania; and Lydia (Richard) Miller-Keller of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania; three sons, James Llewellyn (Linda Ledford-Miller) Miller; and David Miller, both of Scranton, Pennsylvania; and Mark (Madeline) Miller of Novato, California; and a foster daughter, Shirley Roe of Mt. Bethel, Pennsylvania; seven grandchildren, Justin Quagliata, Elise Quagliata Treuiller, Nathan Miller, Zachary Miller, Claire Miller, Alex Keller and Laurie Keller-Karagiannis; two great-grandchildren, Eva and Yianna Karagiannis; sister-in-law, Anna Sprunger of Indiana; and numerous nieces and nephews, including Jerry Sprunger; Jimmy Sprunger; Janean Moser; and Kae Linette Sprunger, all of Indiana.
A memorial service for was held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 18 at Camp Hill Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania. Memorial contributions may be made to the organizations closest to her heart: Camp Hill Presbyterian Church, 101 N. 23rd, Camp Hill, PA 17011 and public radio station WITF-FM, 4801 Lindle Road, Harrisburg, PA 17111.