Kay "Pernie" Miller, 75 years of age, of Salmon passed away Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016 after a short but fierce battle with cancer.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 11 a.m. at the Salmon Valley Baptist Church. Viewing will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the church. Burial will follow in the Salmon Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction and care of the Jones & Casey Funeral Home of Salmon, Idaho www.jonesandcaseyfh.com.

Kay Miller was born on August 1, 1941 in Salmon, Idaho the daughter of Joe and Wanda Pern. She graduated from Salmon High School in 1959 and went to work for the local telephone company as a switchboard operator where she made many lifelong friends.

She married Roger Miller and traveled with him while he was in the military. Following his service, they moved back and settled down in Salmon on the last piece of her original family homestead. Ricky joined the family in 1967 and she began her true calling which was to be a mom. She also found time throughout the years to work outside the home to supplement the family income. Dixie came along in 1970 to round out the family.

Her husband Roger tried several jobs before settling on logging as a career. Logging allowed them to travel all over the west, up to Homer, Alaska and down to Chama, New Mexico; but they always came back to Salmon and family when the job was finished.

After looking at many places, they finally picked a place with a view to make Kay happy and began the year's long process of building their home together.

Kay's unpaid career became designing and contracting the family home on Perreau Creek. They were able to move into a temporary mobile home in 1979, but the new house wouldn't be ready until the spring of 1985.

Her children graduated in 1986 and 1988 and with Roger working in Alaska, she focused her life on both making a park like scene in her yard and family and friends social events. Her next adventure was running Kay's Deli from 1990 to 1997. It was during this time that she lost the love of her life, Roger, to a logging accident in Alaska.

After losing Roger, she decided that her next career should be full time Grandma and Aunt because she was Gramma Kay or Aunt Kay to every kid she knew.

She was a determined social butterfly and attended her last weekly luncheon with her friends on Thursday, September 28th.

Kay is survived by her son Ricky (Theresa) Miller of Salmon, Idaho; daughter Dixie Graves of Salmon, Idaho; grandchildren: Katrina (Rocky) Novack of Idaho Falls, Jonell Rangel of Salmon, Idaho, Michelle Miller of Memphis, Tenn., Trey Graves of Salmon, Idaho, Jordan Graves of Pocatello, Idaho, Weston Kerbs of Idaho Falls; great-granddaughter Sarah Michelle Kerbs of Salmon, Idaho; sisters: Sue (Fred) Waidely and Cristine (Charlie) Andrews all of Salmon, Idaho; aunts: Anna Mae Fost and Ilene Woodbridge; uncle Ernest "Uncle Boy" Gutzman; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Kay was preceded in death by her husband Roger Miller, parents Joe and Wanda Pern, sisters: Janice Gay Pern and Sharron Ray Simmons and brother Joe Pern Jr.

She will be missed.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the After School Promise or any local children or children's events.