Delores E. Miles

Delores “Dee” Estella Miles (Falada), 91, of Clear Lake, died on Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, at Oakwood Care Center, in Clear Lake.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 1001 9th Ave. S., Clear Lake, with the Rev. John Gossman officiating.  Inurnment will be at Clear Lake Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4-6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 310 1st Ave. N., Clear Lake, where a Scriptural Wake Service will begin at 5:45 p.m.

Family suggests memorial contributions to the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Building Fund.

Delores was born Feb. 28, 1929, in Garfield Township, Hancock County, Iowa the daughter of John and Estella (Formanek) Falada.  She graduated from Hayfield High School May 16, 1946.  She later graduated from Hamilton Business College (Kaplan University).

On June 2, 1948, Delores married Roy H. Hanson at St. James Catholic Church, Forest City.  They farmed east of Forest City.  To this union two sons, Randolph Craig, and Ronald Andrew, were born.  Roy died on March 3, 1953.  Delores and sons moved to Forest City to live with her parents.  She was employed by a law firm and later in the Insurance and farm supply departments at the Winnebago County Farm Bureau. While living in Forest City she taught St. James Catholic Church religion classes, sang in the choir and belonged to a church circle, a bowling league and the Forest City Community Theatre.

On Dec. 30, 1954, she married William (Bill) Miles.  To this union a son, Roger David, was born; he died on Nov. 17, 2001.  Bill died on March 5, 2007.

Delores led a rich full life.  Her faith, family and friends were her most prized possessions.  She was active in St. Patrick’s Ladies Guild, study groups, coordinated the first St. Patrick’s CCD classes, Grand Regent of Lady of the Lake CDA Court, chaired several parish fund raising projects, sang in the choir,  and served as RCIA coordinator for three years and Eucharistic minister for 22 years.  While her sons were in school, she belonged to PTA and was a Cub Scout den mother.  She was proud that all three sons became Eagle Scouts.

She was employed part-time as office manager of Kimball-White Seeds, Inc. for six years, worked for the lease firm of Boyle Schuller and Oltrogge, and the Kouri, Peterson, Anderson CPA firm.  She served in the appointed position of Clear Lake City Treasurer for seven years.  She assisted her husband in the Clear Lake Grain Co. and Miles Farm Store.  Later, she worked part-time as St. Patrick’s secretary and for the Matthew Berry Law and CPA firm.  She began full time employment in 1983 as an executive secretary at Winnebago Industries.  She retired from Northern Trails Area Education Agency on June 30, 1994.  In 2000, she became “Sears Sewing Lady” demonstrating Sears’s sewing machines.  For four years, after their son Roger’s death, Bill and Delores provided supplies for needy area infants through the Baby Corner of North Iowa.

She enjoyed sewing, refinishing and upholstering furniture, gardening, entertaining, reading, nature, walking, golfing, music, and ballroom dancing.  Bill and Dee traveled in 44 states and southern Canada.  For 11 years they enjoyed spring, fall and Christmas shows in Branson, Mo.  They traveled to Vienna and Czechoslovakia (her father’s homeland) in September, 1990.  She was a member of Progress Club since 1962.  She joined P.E.O. chapter NW in April, 1969.  In 2009 she was one of the 22 Iowa delegates to the P.E.O International Convention, in San Diego.

Delores is survived by her son, Randy (Linda) Miles, Brenton, Wash. and Tucson, Az.; son, Ron Miles, Gualala, Ca.; her sister-in-law, Betty (Jim) Carson, Aurora, Ill.; brother-in-law, Stan Miles, Milwaukee, Wis. and Nelson (Diane) Wild, San Francisco, Calif.; her god-son, Paul Falada; her god-daughter, Cindy Till; several nieces and nephews, cousins and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two husbands; son, Roger; sisters, JoAnn Falada, Agnes Simper; brother, Frances Falada; sisters-in-law, Madelyn Myers, Joan Wild, Ann Falada, Arlene Miles, Audrey Miles and Norma Johnson; and brothers-in-law, Hugh Myers, Robert Miles, Glen Hanson and Floyd Johnson.