1932-2026
Lorna is survived by her beloved brother, Jack Miller of Creston, Iowa; son, Dan LeRoy and his wife Bethany of Midland, Texas; her two most cherished grandchildren, Madison of Euless, Texas, and Parker of Branson, Missouri; along with several nieces and nephews scattered across the United States.
Her husband of 63 years, Glenn LeRoy; parents, Doyce and Doris Miller; and eldest brother, Lyle Miller preceded her in death.
Lorna grew up on the farm, initially in southeastern Nebraska and then in south central Iowa, near the small town of Osceola. After graduating from Osceola High School, Lorna attended Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, and earned her degree in education. It was at Simpson College where she pledged and joined the Pi Beta Phi sorority and remained an active member for 75 years.
After graduating from Simpson, she put her education degree to use and eventually moved to Denver, Colorado, with a friend to take a teaching job. Unbeknownst to Lorna, making this move to Colorado would change her life forever. It was there in Denver that she met Glenn LeRoy, who would later become her husband on January 29, 1961. The following year in January 1962, Glenn and Lorna became the proud parents of their only child, Dan. The family lived in and around Great Bend, Kansas, Glenn’s hometown, during most of the 1960s and 1970s.
Over a span of 40 years, Lorna dedicated her life to junior high and high school students in Iowa, Colorado, and Kansas. She was a junior high school PE teacher for many years and then decided to take a break from teaching for a few years to focus on being a mom and farmer’s wife. She was actively involved in tending to the farm, including helping feed the cattle and other field chores (it was a small family with lots of jobs to do), but focused primarily on her chickens, gardening, and baking. A vivid memory for her son is when Lorna taught him how to prepare an actual live chicken that would later become dinner. Dan and his cousin, Randy, didn’t mind beheading the chickens and occasionally watching one “run around like a chicken with its head cut off” (which they really do). However, Dan is still a bit traumatized by the lesson of placing the beheaded chicken in scalding hot water that then led to the feather plucking stage of the process. The atrocious smell still haunts Dan. Lorna most definitely was not afraid of hard work or getting her hands dirty. Not even the pungent smells of the farm could hinder her dedication.
In 1977, the LeRoy family moved to Madison, Kansas, where Lorna continued her duties as a farmer’s wife and mom, but also found time to return to college at Emporia State University, about 20 miles from Madison, for a master’s degree in counseling. She then became a high school guidance counselor in Derby, Kansas, for a few years before returning to Great Bend, Kansas, to continue that calling. It was there where Lorna finished her career in education and retired in 1995, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of countless students.
It was also in 1995 that Lorna’s life changed forever when she took on the new role as Gramma. After many years of making the long trek between Kansas and Texas to visit Dan’s family, in 2011 Lorna convinced Glenn to move to Midland, Texas, to be closer to and spend more time with her two grandchildren. Madison and Parker have so many great memories of hanging out with Gramma in Kansas—gardening, baking, swimming, and attending the county fair (and even winning some first-place ribbons!). However, having her so nearby in Midland and actively involved in their lives was absolutely priceless.
Lorna was also famous for her strawberry rhubarb pie, peanut butter cookies, apple pies and apple pancakes that were like deliciously delicate crepes. Her baking skills definitely were passed on to her granddaughter, Madi, who is a passionate and talented baker. Her grandson, Parker, has picked up the knitting torch (needle) and will be continuing in Gramma’s tradition of making family members her multi-purpose “scrubbies” every Christmas.
The incredible stories Lorna told about her world travels in her twenties led her grandchildren to assume she was some sort of secret agent. She was also a fan of sports in general, as both a participant and fan, but was most passionate about her son’s alma maters—Kansas State University and the University Notre Dame—as well as the Texas Rangers. Lorna was always up for playing any and all kinds of card, domino, and board games—any time, any place.
In her later years, for a woman of her small stature, she could eat anyone under the table. Her family oftentimes watched in amazement as she ate plate after plate & egg roll after egg roll at Szechuan Chinese Restaurant in Abilene (where both Madison and Parker went to college). She also absolutely loved and frequented Monterrey, a locally-owned Mexican food restaurant in Midland. Before ordering, she would say, “I’m not very hungry,” and then put away more food than anyone else at the table. She not only had a hearty appetite for food but also for life and lived her life to the fullest (just like her plates) to the very end.
Lorna was a 50-year member of P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization), which is a sisterhood whose mission is to motivate, educate, and celebrate women. During the five decades in this charitable organization, Lorna made deep, lasting friendships in both Kansas and Texas, and considered these women to be her sisters. The monthly meetings, luncheons, and various gatherings and fundraising events were invaluable to her. Recently, Lorna became a P.E.O. "Golden Girl," which is a distinguished member who has reached the milestone of 50 or more years of membership. These members are honored for their long-term dedication to the organization's mission of supporting women's education through scholarships, grants, and loans.
After living in Midland for about eleven years, Glenn and Lorna were inspired by Glenn’s sister, Shirley, to move to the senior living community Manor Park in 2022. Initially, they resided in an independent living home and then transitioned to assisted living in 2024 when Glenn required more medical attention. Lorna was not necessarily thrilled about leaving her independent living situation and moving into a smaller apartment but very quickly acclimated. This change actually ended up being an unexpected blessing in her life after Glenn passed away later in 2024. Lorna had the constant love and support of her Manor Park community—friends, staff, and medical professionals. She spent time with her new friends at Helen Greathouse Manor crafting, gardening, playing BINGO, going on field trips, shopping, and going out to eat. Lorna also became actively involved in the Bible study and church services (vespers) at Manor Park. She had such undeniable peace and was unabashedly ready to be with God when she received news of her terminal illness. The care she received in this community not only benefited her socially and emotionally but also had a lasting impact on her spiritually.
Lorna was happiest when surrounded by family and friends, which is exactly how the final days of her 93 years on this earth played out. The scripture 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” perfectly depicts Lorna’s extraordinary life well lived.
A memorial will be held on Friday, May 1, 2026, at 1:00 pm at Manor Park in the Wayne Moore room of the Helen Greathouse Manor in Midland, Texas. The burial and a graveside service will take place at the Great Bend Cemetery in Great Bend, Kansas, on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at 2:00 pm where Lorna will be laid to rest with her husband Glenn. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in honor of Lorna to the Midland College P.E.O. Memorial Scholarship Fund (send checks to MC Foundation, 3600 N. Garfield, Midland, TX 79705, with P.E.O. Scholarship in the memo line) or to the Manor Park Employee Christmas Fund (send checks payable to Manor Park to 401 Helen Greathouse Circle, Midland, TX 79707, with Employee Christmas Fund in the memo line).
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