Return to the Land

While living on their own small farm Earl gained employment with Mont Miller, his first cousin, in the sawmill cutting timber. While cutting timber on Meek Miller ’s farm (Mont’s father’s farm) Earl was injured when a log kicked back and broke his leg. Sammie took him in their International pickup to Bluefield where he was hospitalized. He then recuperated at home. The Mont Miller sawmill and timber business finally closed for economic reasons. Needing employment Earl began working for his brother-in-law, Oren Agee, cutting prop timber for the coalmines in West Virginia. He also occasionally helped his brother Vaden cut timber and props. The home that Edgar and Pearl built was put up for auction when they sold out on Kimberling in the late 1940’s. However, a price was not bid high enough for Edgar to accept and the home remained vacant for a while. Aunt Evelyn convinced Earl to sell the Dalton Place and purchase Uncle Edgar’s nice home in 1950. This home was adjacent to the original Miller home place and in essence Earl had returned home for the last time. Earl continued working timber until 1955 when he developed thrombophlebitis i n his legs. He was treated in Dublin where he and Evelyn stayed with Edgar and Pearl until his condition stabilized. This medical problem lingered with him resulting in complications of edema (swelling) of his legs, which allowed him only limited mobility. His days of hunting in the mountains were over as well as his ability to work. By 1956, he developed hypertension (high blood pressure) and he was declared disabled. Both sons by now were married and away with their own families. Earl and Evelyn existed on a limited income and since he was no longer gainfully employed she found work at the Bastian Sportswear Factory in the Bastian Village of Bland County. She operated machinery there for a number of years. In 1972, at the age of 60, Evelyn experienced a myocardial infarction (heart attack) while in Bluefie ld during her regular doctor’s appointment. She was hospitalized at the Sanitarium Hospital. She recovered but was advised not to return to work.

Earl and Evelyn lived their remaining years in their nice comfortable home on Kimberling. They were active in the Salem Methodist Church where Earl sang in the choir. In 1975 Earl died as a result of complications of a heart attack in Bluefield. He was buried at Salem Methodist Church Cemetery on Kimberling. Evelyn remained in her home and died in the Radford Hospital in 1984 as a result of another heart complication. She was buried beside her husband at Salem. Their sons, Sammie and Emory, both worked for the Richardson-Wayland Electrical Contractors in Manassas, Virginia. The sons in herited their parent’s home, which was uninhabited for one year. The home was sold to a young couple and the home burned resulting from a chimney fire in 1986. Their oldest son, Emory Earl, died in his sleep of a heart problem at the age of 59. Sammie is retired and now resides with his wife Pearl on Dismal Creek in Bland County.

Earl and Evelyn Miller

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