Elizabeth Irene Miller Piper

Elizabeth Piper, age 97, passed away quietly with her family at her side on Tuesday, September 6, 2022.Elizabeth was born to her parents, Rev. Elton and Lola Mae (Cornford) Miller in Clarinda, IA on March 29, 1925. She was the second oldest of ten children. After her graduation from Dumont High School, she attended York College. She married Floyd Piper on June 25, 1943. While he was a pilot in the Army Air Corp., she traveled with him to Texas, Florida, Missouri, Maine, and California. After the war, she moved back to Iowa while her husband finished college. They then moved to Seattle, Cedar Rapids, Wichita, New Jersey and back to Wichita in 1971. She is preceded in death by her parents, Rev. and Mrs. Elton Miller; and siblings, Leland Miller, Richard Miller, Ruth Knop, Beverly Kile, Elton Miller, Jr. and Rev. Paul Miller. She is survived by brothers, Robert (Diane) Miller of Mesa, AZ, and William Miller of Nashville, TN; sister, Nancy Anderson of Belmond, IA. Elizabeth is the beloved mother of her children, James (Catherine) of San Marcos, CA, John of Panama City Beach, FL, Joan (James) Baldwin of Kutztown, PA and Jane of Merritt Island, FL; as well as her 7 beloved grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, and many nephews and nieces. Elizabeth was loved, honored, and respected by all who knew her. She was an active volunteer for the Red Cross for over 50 years. She was a dedicated member of West Heights United Methodist Church for 50 years. She also served as a member and past president of the Wichita Lioness, Wichita Music Theater Board, Project Beauty, and a charter member of Botanica. She always was an avid gardener who shared her passion with her children, grandchildren, and neighbors. You can see her flowers everywhere. Elizabeth was a member of PEO Chapter FY for almost 40 years. Together with her husband, they were very strong supporters of Wichita State University sports, always attending and cheering for the basketball and baseball teams. She loved traveling with her husband while they visited every state and 50 countries, some trips were made with Friendship Force. She loved flying with Floyd in his plane and acted as “copilot.” She loved spending time with her family and was very active in all of their lives making wonderful lifelong cherished memories. Her dedication to help people was her life’s ambition. Elizabeth was an encouraging, positive, gracious, and spiritual lady who will be dearly missed by all those who knew her. She was an amazing wife, daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. It was a blessing to have known her. One of Her favorite life sayings from John Wesley was - “Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, For all the people you can, As long as you can.” - Her Celebration of Life Service will be held at West Heights Methodist Church on September 17 at 11 am.Memorial donations may be sent in her memory to Shriners Hospital for Children - St. Louis, 4400 Clayton Ave., Saint Louis, MO 63110 or PEO sponsored college, Cottey College, 1000 West Austin, Nevada, MO 64772, and Botanica, The Wichita Gardens, 701 Amidon Street, Wichita, KS 67203. Services in care of Downing & Lahey Mortuary West, Wichita. Share tributes online at: west@dlwichita.comShe will also have a Celebration of Life Service on October 1 in Hampton, IA at the Counsell Woolley Funeral Home at 2 pm.