Ida Pearl Springer was born to Jacob and Sophia Springer at Milford, Nebraska, On Wednesday, April 25, 1984. She was the 12th child of thirteen children.
As a young girl she came to Buffalo, South Dakota, where she met Ray Miller. On August 18th, 1917, they were married at the Lutheran Church in Buffalo, South Dakota. Shortly after their marriage, Ray went into the Army and served with the 123rd Field Artillery and Army of Occupation in Germany, during World War 1. Upon his return, they moved to Hettinger, North Dakota where they resided until their passing. To this union eleven children were born: Rayola Pearl, Donald Warren, Betty Lorraine, John Jacob, Lelia Joyce, Anna, Mary Lou Jane, Norma Mae, Merlin Ray, David and Marlene Virginia. Norma Mae and David died as infants.
Pearl was known as a busy housewife and mother. Along with Ray, she helped put in large gardens and took pride in her beautiful flower beds. She did oil painting for Browning Studios for many years as well as making many of her own pictures which she painted and sold. This was before color photography came into being, so all the black and while photos were painted in. This took a great deal of time and patience. She also made many shadow box nightlamps with the negatives that she would paint. In later years, she was always busy crotcheting, making quilts, and other craft work. Her children and grandchildren were a great part of her life. Many mornings were spent at Grandmas house playing scrabble, aggravation and hundreds of games of solitaire.
She was a member of the Methodist Church and was active in the WSCS, Dorcas Circle, Royal Neighbor Lodge and American Legion Auxiliary.
For several years before her passing she was a resident in the Hettinger Nursing Home. She suffered a heart attack and passed away at the Community Memorial Hospital at Hettinger, North Dakota on June 16, 1972. Funeral services were held at the United Methodist Church on June 19, 1972 and burial was in the Hettinger Cemetery, Adams County, North Dakota.