…the founder
In 1899, Dakota Territory pioneer L.D. Miller established a livery hack and boarding stable located on Main Avenue between 10th and 11th streets.  This service grew to include the city’s first horse-drawn taxi service.  In 1902, Mr. Miller founded the Miller Funeral Home in conjunction with his livery.  The site of the original “undertaking” business was located just north of the livery stables on Main Avenue.  In 1912, his operation expanded once more when he formed an ambulance service.  Horse drawn at first, the ambulance service eventually became “motorized” around 1915.  Mrs. Minnie Miller became his assistant and was the first licensed lady embalmer in the state of South Dakota.  One of the original stained glass signs reading ‘L.D. Miller Company – Undertakers’ is on permanent display at the downtown location.

…a grand design
In 1923, construction began at the ‘southern edge of the city’ on a building that, by January of 1924, would evolve into the present day Miller Funeral Home.  Close attention was paid to detail and style.  Mr. Miller selected a structure of unusually sound architectural design.  The chapel houses a stained glass ceiling and a state of the art audio and electronics system.  The distinctive appearance of the downtown building has withstood the many changes of Sioux Falls history and will continue to do so over many more generations.

…a dedicated staff
Glendon Minor began his employment with Miller Funeral Home in 1925, as a bookkeeper.  In 1927, he completed his mortuary science education and became an active licensed Funeral Director.  He became the president of Miller Funeral Home in 1940.  In 1954, Glen retired.  He died in 1996.

After retiring, Glen sold his interests to four licensed Funeral Directors who had worked at the funeral home as employees.  Combined, they had a total of over seventy five years of service.  Known as the Big Four, the new principals Alven Iverson, Ken Koball, Roald Eidsness and Roger Nordstrom lead Miller Funeral Home into a new era.  In 1976, an onsite crematory was added to better serve the families in our area.  As members of national professional organizations, these partners had maintained the highest degree of ethics, excellence and professionalism that had, incidentally, influenced areas of funeral service throughout the United States.

Alven Iverson was born in Sioux Falls on April 7, 1901.  After working for the City of Sioux Falls as a Stationary Engineer, Al became a Funeral Director in the early 1930’s.  A five-term elected Coroner, Al served faithfully and respectably while giving his time and energy for the betterment of Sioux Falls.  He retired from funeral service in 1972.  He was a member of First Lutheran Church.  Al died on December 13, 1996.

Kendall K. Koball, a native of Hartford, South Dakota, was born on March 17, 1926.  After working as a third generation blacksmith in his youth, Ken joined the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and served in the historical battles of Tarawa and Bougainville.  He was a graduate of Sioux Falls Washington High School, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, and Worsham College of Mortuary Science, Chicago, IL.  Following his professional training in Chicago, he began his employment at Miller Funeral Home and became partner of the firm in 1954.  He had served on a countless number of community organizations, boards and committees.  In addition to being elected to the National Selected Morticians Board of Directors.  Ken was a member of First Baptist Church.  Ken Koball died July 5, 2007, at Sanford USD Medical Center, Sioux Falls, SD, following a battle with cancer.

Roald E. Eidsness was born near Hudson, South Dakota on March 7, 1915.  He moved with his family to Canton, South Dakota where he graduated from high school in 1935.  He joined the U.S. Army in 1943.  After his discharge in 1945, Roe attended the University of Minnesota, School of Mortuary Science.  Following his graduation, he returned to Sioux Falls and began his employment with Miller Funeral Home.  Committed to his community, he was active in several organizations and was a member of local and state funeral service organizations.  He was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.  Roe was Past President (1969) of the South Dakota Funeral Directors Association.  Roald died in 1988.

Roger Nordstrom was born on August 14, 1922, at Brandon, South Dakota.  He served in the U.S. Navy during W.W.II.  Following his graduation from Los Angeles Mortuary College and the institute of Restorative Art in Chicago, IL, Roger became associated with the Miller Funeral Home.  He served as President of the South Dakota State Board of Funeral Directors in 1954.  He served as a funeral director with Miller Funeral Home until the 1980’s. Roger died on March 3, 2008.