Margaret Mae Miles

 Margaret Mae Miles, 83, of Gooding, Idaho, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 surrounded by family after a very short battle with cancer.

 Margaret (Marge) was born on December 11, 1934 in Blandburg, PA to Clarabel Myrtle Varner & Rubert ‘Jay’ Thompson. She and a younger sister Lucinda were cared for by foster families throughout their childhood. She attended grammar school in Smithfield and completed high school at Huntingdon High, graduating in 1952.  Shortly after graduation, Margaret left Pennsylvania and traveled to Sacramento, California where she was briefly reunited with her birth mother. It was in California where she met a young airman named Cecil Miles. After a courtship and permission from Cecil’s commanding officer, the two were married on New Year’s Day in 1953. The couple lived in Modesto and Margaret attended a semester of junior college majoring in accounting before she became pregnant with their first of 3 sons. Lloyd ‘Kipp’ was born in January of 1954, followed by Kyle Patrick in August of 1956, and finally Dale Reed in July of 1957.

The couple moved from Oakdale, CA to Idaho in 1971. Marge worked at Wendell Implement, and Magic Valley Packing Company (now Glanbia) before they opened Gooding Surplus and Sales on the corner of Main Street and 2nd Ave (Zeppe’s Pizza parking lot) selling army surplus merchandise and other goods. They lived in the apartment above the store before buying a home on Dorothy Ave. Cecil also worked as a diesel mechanic and a police officer in Gooding before contracting the operation and maintenance of the old Gooding Landfill in cooperation with Fred Willard. Marge operated MMM Bookkeeping. Eventually the landfill was shut down and Marge and Cecil moved to Ogden, Utah for another employment opportunity. Cecil worked at UAW Diesel as a Master Diesel Instructor and Marge worked at A-1 Auto Parts and Salvage. They made lifelong friendships and friends became family throughout their many journeys. Marge and Cecil both retired and returned to Idaho to be closer to their children and grandchildren. They staked their retirement claim just outside Gooding and during the early 90’s, Cecil attended auctioneering college and together Marge and Cecil ran Miles Auction Service. Marge and Cecil both loved to fish. They could often be found with their motor home or camper on the shores of Magic Reservoir, Flaming Gorge, or CJ Strike Reservoir with family or friends. Marge was very fond of roses and planted, grew, and tended her rose bushes everywhere life led her. She also had a fondness of owls and her collection of owl trinkets grew to abundance over the years. Marge’s four granddaughters, and in time her great grandchildren, gave her the utmost joy. Cecil left this world and Marge in 1994. Following Cecil’s death, Marge spent months traveling Alaska and fishing with friends to help her through her grief and cope with her new solitary life. Eventually, Marge and a longtime friend of her and Cecil’s, Evan ‘Butch’ Lively, grew close and ultimately decided they were great companions for one another. Though they did not marry, they remained happily together for many years before Butch too passed in 2014.

Marge was an active member of the Order of the Eastern Star and Past Worthy Matron of Cosmopolitan Chapter #36 in Gooding.

She was preceded in death by her husband Cecil Miles, her parents, her sister Lucinda, and her son Kyle. She is survived by her two sons Kipp Miles and Dale (Billi) Miles of Gooding; granddaughters Kimberly Cook (Jon) of Gooding, Dana Miller (Jim) of Twin Falls, Mirinda Miles of Sand Hollow, and Amanda Haye of Burley; and her 8 great grandchildren, Kylee & Barrett (Kimberly), Braelyn & Braxton (Dana), Cecil & Alia (Mirinda), and Tyler & Gerald ‘JJ’ (Amanda).

A viewing for Marge will be held Monday, May 14, 2018 from 5 – 7pm at Demaray Funeral Service- Gooding Chapel.

Graveside services will be held at 2pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at Elmwood Cemetery, Gooding, Idaho.

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