Mostly Cloudy, 44° F
(Nov. 18, 1919 - March 28, 2012)
Loretta Miller, 92, of Cody died Wednesday, March 28, 2012 surrounded by her family. She passed away at West Park Hospital.
She was born in Wirt, N.Y. on Nov. 18, 1919, to Sidney and Lillian Bessey, the sixth of seven children. She attended school in Richburg, N.Y. and met and married Robert Hamilton, her high school sweetheart.
They made their home on a dairy farm in West Clarksville, N.Y. where four children were born: Carolyn, Billy, Mort, and Doreen.
In 1950, the family loaded up in a 1949 Willy’s Jeep, and the family spent six days on the road traveling to Cody. The kids saw and heard their first train on that trip, waking them up out of the dead of sleep in the middle of the night, scaring all the kids. The Hamilton family stayed with Wally and Thelma Lewis, who lived above the Cody Corral. This is now Seidel’s Saddlery, owned by Loretta’s granddaughter.
They made their first home at Buffalo Bill Veteran’s Housing, where the current powwow garden is located today. Robert and Loretta later divorced.
Over the years, Loretta worked at Safeway, Grace Baptist Church, Green Gables, Apollo Tag, Y-Tex, and the Wea Market. In 1972, Loretta met and married Ray Miller, and eventually the two became snowbirds travelling to Arizona and Ojai, Calif., visiting family and friends in their silver Airstream trailer. Their travels also took them to Mexico, Hawaii, Florida, and back to visit Loretta’s family in New York.
After Ray died in 1995, Loretta stayed in Cody spending many enjoyable summers working in her garden, and many hours taking care of grandchildren in her back yard. She taught them about the Lord, and would sing her own special song “Bye-O-Bye-O” to each child. Her heart’s desire was to see her children and grandchildren grow up to love and serve the Lord. She prayed for them daily, and read her Bible faithfully. Nothing kept her down. In her late 80s she was found on the roof by her grandson trying to repair her carport. At 90 years old, she was still mowing her lawn.
Loretta was a charter member of First Baptist Church, which started in the Club Room of the Cody Auditorium. Loretta’s smile, laughter, and infectious sense of humor were enjoyed by those who knew her. She had a knack for changing words — peacemaker for pacemaker, yakking for kayaking, anthrax for amtrack, almheimers for Alzheimers, and so many others. Loretta enjoyed jigsaw and crossword puzzles. She is leaving a tremendously large hole in the hearts of her family.
Loretta was preceded in death by her parents, a son Billy, and a granddaughter Pamela Jean, one sister, and four brothers.
Loretta is survived by children Carolyn (Bill) Bilyeu of Cody; Mort (Shirley) Hamilton of Cody; and Doreen (Mike) McDonald of Cody; eight grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and three great-great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 3 at Grace Baptist Church with burial to follow at Riverside Cemetery in Cody. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service. An online guestbook is available online at ballardfh.com.
Ballard Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
