Return to the Land

began farming full-time, reaching his dream of being a farmer and not having to depend on an outside source for his income.

Vaden and his siblings were close and he kept in touch with each one and in particular my father, Stafford. Dad had retired by now and was farming on a limited basis and raising beef cattle, also having left the dairy business. These two brothers had much in common. They were raised on the farm, had worked in the outside world and, now in their retirement years, had returned to the farm. My dad always had a special admiration for his brother because Vaden was not afraid to try new things or embark on new business ventures and he had a good sense of economics. Uncle Vaden suffered heart problems and in 1982 he was referred to Henrico Doctor’s Hospital in Richmond, Virginia where he underwent triple vessel coronary artery by-pass surgery. While there an abdominal aortic aneurysm was discovered and repaired. He made a good recovery and returned to his farming where his youngest son, Charles Douglas, assisted him. At the age of 78 on April 10, 1988 Harvey Vaden Miller died in Bluefield. The cause was renal failure as a complication of carcinoma of the bladder. He was buried in the Mechanicsburg Cemetery on Route 42 near his uncle, Dr. Daniel A. Miller. Aunt Ina, now 88 years old, is living an active life at her home on Kimberling along with her daughter Barbara Ann and her son Charles Douglas. She is as youthful and keen witted now as I remember her when I was a child. Back then, she would readily come to my defense when

others in the family would not since I was an only (spoiled) child. She remains active in civic affairs and is eager to speak her mind if something is askew. One of my fondest memories of Aunt Ina is when I was a youngster and I had an irritated and troublesome wart on my right knee. Nothing my mother did would help and finally I told Aunt Ina my plight. While reciting some mystical incantation she had me close my eyes as she touched the wart and to my great satisfaction within a few weeks the ugly wart was gone. From then on I knew that Aunt Ina possessed some awesome power in the healing arts. What good memories I have of this wonderful aunt and uncle.

Harvey Vaden and Ina K. Lindamood Miller, 1984

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