Evangeline "Vange" Ruth (Nelson) Miller

Evangeline “Vange” Ruth Miller, 94, Deming resident was embraced by the loving arms of Jesus Sunday, June 12, 2022 at Fort Bayard Medical Center.

A graveside service will be held at Mountain View Cemetery on Saturday, June 25, 2022 at 10 o’clock in the morning in the Kretek section. Her grandson, Peter Bailey will officiate. Cremation has been entrusted to Baca’s Mimbres Crematory.

Evangeline also known to many as “Vange” was born November 8, 1927 in Napoleon, Ohio to Martin C. Nelson and Edna M. Saneholtz. She grew up on a potato farm during the Great Depression. She loved her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, reading her Bible daily, and going to church. She started playing the piano in church when she was 15 years old. Vange graduated from Temple Missionary Training School in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1948 as a Bible and Organ major; she was a skilled pipe organist. She continued playing at every church she attended and most recently played at Bethel Baptist Church, Deming, NM. While living at Fort Bayard Medical Center she entertained the patients and staff continuously with her pianist ability. She also taught piano lessons. She even played the organ for a Revival in the Juarez, Mexico Bull Ring. She retired from serving as secretary for First Baptist Church, Deming, NM. Vange married the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Miller on September 1, 1951. She loved children and could be found chasing them. She is remembered by her laugh and sense of humor. Vange loved to spoil her grandkids with a freezer full of Schwan’s ice cream and snacks. She also loved to knit, sew, help people and also loved her Wednesday Coffee group at McDonalds.

She is survived by her 2 children, Joan “Joanie” Miller and Martin “Marty” (Linda) Miller both of Deming. Joanie’s 3 children, Rachel Bailey (Carlos Anaya), Peter (Lyndsy) Bailey and their 5 children – Elijah, Anna, Ben, Jack, Asa, and Abi; (Chris) Khavari and their 3 children – Evangeline, Radiance and Shepherd. Marty (Linda) Miller’s 5 children, Shannon (Courtney) Anderson and their 3 children – Hannah, Hailey and Ava; Martin “David” (Kelly) Miller, Brandon (Joleen) Miller and their 2 children – Lizzie and Graham; Marly (Josh) Sherbutt and their 3 children – Aiden, Dani and Jessie Evangeline; Kristen Macias and her son, Jonathan Chavez. She is also survived by her sister, Leah Schuster of Durango, CO.

Vange is preceded in death by her husband, Robert “Bob” Miller; parents, Martin and Edna Nelson and 4 siblings, Martha (Doug) Reiser, Anne (Allan) Lewis, Grace (Ralph) Johnson, and Wally (Jane) Nelson.

In lieu of flowers please donate to the Christian non-profit that was close to her heart: JEWS FOR JESUS, 60 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 94102-5895. https://jewsforjesus.org/give

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