May Ida Miles

May Ida Miles was born to Ida May Rindlisbacher and David Hyrum Miles 
at Grace Idaho on October 12, 1921.
She is the 4th child of their six children, namely, Harley, Dale, Verna, May, Sewell and Newell.
May was a small little girl and even as an adult she never got too tall physically, but, she had a very strong and determined personality full of vim and vigor.  She knew how to work, serve and bless the lives of so many around her.
May attended the North Gem school in Bancroft, Idaho until she graduated in the spring of 1940. She was very strong and athletic and loved competing with the boys at school.  Even at home she wanted to be outside working with her dad and brothers on the ranch instead of learning homemaking skills inside with her mother. Newell, her brother found outside work hard and tedious so he would switch with May which made her happy, and he would help his mom with her inside chores.  
May left home shortly after graduation and moved to Ogden, Utah to spend more time with her sister Verna and her family.  There she got a job with Miller Meat Packing Company on the killing floor where she could make more money.  It was hard work, but she was strong and tough.  Later she also worked for the IRS as a janitor and when she was older, she worked for Lamb Weston in the potato processing area.
While May was working in Ogden, her brother Sewell and his wife, Glory Krag Miles lived in California.  Glory had some serious health problems and May would take her parents to California to help with the care of their little daughter Charlotte.  Glory was expecting another baby at this time and knew she wouldn’t have long to live.  She asked May if she would watch out for her little ones after she passed and see that they wouldn’t want for anything.  May promised her she would take care of Charlotte and the baby to come.
Glory died shortly after baby David was born.  Grandpa and Grandma and May went to California for the funeral and to help Sewell with the little ones. When David was big enough to travel they brought them home to raise as their own.  Aunts and Uncles shared in the responsibilities of caring for these two Children.
May took her promise seriously and spent as much time as she could on weekends, birthdays, and holidays at the ranch helping with the kids.  Charlotte and David adored her.  She made sure they had plenty of clothes each fall for school, presents for their birthdays and toys from Santa.  She spent most of her holidays in Chesterfield to be with them.
May adored all her nephews and nieces and they knew she loved them.  She was a fun Aunt.  And our children would get so excited when she came.
Aunt May would come to spend the weekend and if she perceived that I was busy, tired or stressed she would take the kids into the DI store in Pocatello, give them a dollar and tell them they could buy anything they wanted for a dollar.  The kids loved it.
May was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She tried to stay active and loved working with the youth. In her younger years she served in the Young Men and Young Women’s MIA program in the athletic program teaching and playing women’s softball with the girls. 
Later in life after Grandpa and Grandpa Miles sold the ranch in Chesterfield and moved to Grace, May would come up and spend time with them and take them to Portland to see Charlotte and Newell.  Just before Grandpa died, she moved in with them and took care of both of them, then afterwards she cared for grandma for the next 15 years.  She would bring Grandma and spend Christmas with us.  The kids loved going to Grandma’s and Aunt May’s for General Conference weekend.  May would play games with them to keep them quiet and entertained.  They didn’t usually get much out of Conference, but they had a good time.  It always ended in a crab apple fight with May, David and the boys.
May was very much like a big kid that was always up for some fun or mischief.  Many of her nieces and nephews called her Auntie May out of adoration. Everyone that knew her loved her.  She was so good to everyone, always serving others.  In the Grace 3rd ward, she had many widow friends, and she would take a group of them to the Temple monthly.  She took them to their Dr. appointments, hair appointments, grocery shopping and out for drives.
When Aunt May got so she couldn’t take care of herself being alone, she moved into the Soda Springs Care Center where she continued to help and serve the residents.  Again, she had so many friends that told us they loved her.  When the Care Center closed down four years ago, we had to move her to Pocatello to the Monte Vista Hills Care Center.  Once again, she won the hearts of all the nurses, CNAs and patients.  So many times I have heard, we love May.  She’s so feisty and happy all the time.
The last few months May was getting tired and I think she was really ready to go home to her family.  She had patiently endured losing all her siblings and parents before her.
On Wednesday, January 11th she became ill and contracted pneumonia and on Saturday, January 13, 2024 with a niece by her side she quietly slipped away.
We loved Aunt May dearly.  What a great example of grace and patients she has been to all her family.  We will think of her often and miss her happy and feisty personality until we meet again. We are ever grateful to have had her in our lives. And we rejoice that she is now free of discomforts and sorrow and can enjoy all the beautiful things in heaven.  Families are forever.