James "J.L." Miller, age 75 of Cylinder, passed away Monday, Feb. 20, 2023 at his home. Funeral service to celebrate James' life was held on Wednesday, March 1 at the United Methodist Church in West Bend. Burial took place at Riverside Cemetery in Rodman. Services entrusted to Lentz Funeral Home of West Bend.
James Lee Miller was born on Sept. 18, 1947 to E. Dale and Helen (Farmer) Miller. The youngest of 8 siblings. James was raised on the family farm just outside of Rodman, IA where his love for farming and trucking began. He was educated at the school in Rodman, then finished high school in West Bend graduating in 1965. It was there that he met the love of his life Linda Anliker. Following graduation James briefly attended junior college in Emmetsburg. Then also Wayne State in Wayne Nebraska. But his heart was never in his education, all he ever wanted to do was drive truck and farm. As he used to say “School isn’t for everyone.”
James was united in marriage to Linda R. Anliker on June 1, 1968. James and Linda were never strangers to work. They worked together to build the funds to purchase the Burgess farm in 1976 outside of Rodman. It was there that they built their life together. Raising hogs, cattle, corn and soybeans. Their only son Douglas, was born on Sept. 30, 1980 and their family was complete. They built their new house, and moved in to it when Douglas turned 1. The rest they say is history.
James worked hard continuously to provide for his family. Spending days on end on runs in his truck. His travels took him from one coast to the other and everywhere in between. He hauled everything from bulls to New York City; to Pioneer seed to Washington state; which was “home away from home”. Hauling seed was his pride and joy and he did whatever he could to keep customers happy. It was also a “family tradition”. Between his father Dale, himself, and his son Douglas, they have hauled for over 100 years combined, something he was very proud of. It was through the trucking industry that he built relationships both far and near. He was never afraid to pick up the phone and just check in on people, and he certainly never ran short on stories.
He also had an inborn passion for agriculture. Throughout the years he and Linda built a family farm to certainly be proud of. They had the honor of continuing to farm the land that he had grown up farming. He and his family accepted a Century Farm certificate in 2015. He was proud that his grandchildren were the 5th generation of Miller’s to live in his childhood home. His favorite time of the year certainly seemed to be the fall. Not only was he busy gathering harvest, but it was also when his calves would arrive from Big Timber, Montana. He would spend the next several months growing them into a high quality beef product to sell to several local families. A business that had taken off and grown over recent years as well, showing once again just how much he cared for others.
But by far James’s pride and joy was his family. When Doug married his wife Alli, he welcomed her into the family as if she were a daughter. But most especially loved were his grandchildren Morgan and Ben. They “got away” with things he never would have tolerated from anyone else. His whole family knew he could have a rough exterior, which was perpetuated as a result of his brutal honesty. One thing about it; you always knew where you stood. A spade was a spade, it wasn’t a shovel as he often said. But underneath it all, he really did have a soft caring heart. Those that knew him best will always remember that there was always three ways of doing things; the right way, the wrong way, and JL’s way.
James was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Lloyd (Lavonne), John (Carol). Brothers in law JD Hinz, Marlin Truelsen, and Pete Peterson. Survivors include his dedicated wife Linda. Son Doug (Alli) Miller and their children Morgan and Benjamin. Sisters Bonnie (Alvin) Riggert, Annabelle Hinz, Ruth Miller, Jenese Truelsen, and Mary Peterson. Several nieces and nephews, and more friends and acquaintances than can be counted.
