Edna Anne Miller Janssen (née Snyder), age 83, passed away peacefully on May 15, 2025, in Carroll, Iowa. Born on December 18, 1941, in Manning, Iowa, Edna lived a life marked by resilience, creativity, and deep devotion to her family and community.
A private funeral service will be held at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll. Burial will be in the Merle Hay Memorial Cemetery in Glidden. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to the Charley Foundation (www.charleyfoundation.org) in her honor.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll, and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com
Raised in Spirit Lake, Iowa, Edna graduated from Spirit Lake High School and remained closely connected to the area throughout her life. Her early career began as a lab technician at Berkley’s, where she demonstrated precision and dedication. Later, she opened her heart and home as a childcare provider, nurturing many young lives with warmth and patience. She also worked as a bookkeeper for her husbands and was known for her exceptional talent as a seamstress—particularly for crafting elaborate square dancing dresses that reflected both her skill and flair for beauty.
Edna’s hands were rarely still. She found joy in reading, knitting, crocheting, sewing, gardening, canning produce from her garden, and capturing moments through photography. A pianist with a love for music and singing. She enjoyed square dancing with friends and her husband, Charles. She embraced an active lifestyle that included walking and bicycle riding well into her later years.
Her curiosity and sense of fun extended to thrift shopping adventures and watching shows like “Pickers” on cable TV. Edna cherished visiting with family and friends—her laughter was infectious, often punctuated by jokes she loved to share. In retirement years, she enjoyed wintering in Alamo, Texas, with her second husband, Don, making friends and supporting several families in Progresso, Mexico. She also loved hosting friends and family at her home in Carroll, Iowa, for long weekends of visiting.
Faith played an important role throughout Edna’s life. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church with her husband Charles in Spirit Lake and later was a member with her husband Don at Lanesboro United Methodist Church in Lanesboro, where she was a frequent volunteer and organizer for the annual chicken noodle fundraising dinner.
Edna’s strength shone brightest during times of hardship. She lovingly cared for both of her husbands—Charles Miller and Donald Janssen—through their long battles with cancer until their passing. Her unwavering support during those difficult times was a testament to her enduring compassion.
After Charles Miller’s death, Edna was blessed with a whirlwind romance and marriage to Donald Janssen, which brought Don’s family and friends into Edna’s circle. First living in the community of Lanesboro, where Don’s farm was, and then after his retirement in Carroll, Iowa. An example of Edna’s embrace of her second life phase was the 2002 Lanesboro centennial where she contributed to the creation of a community cookbook and a memorial quilt. In all, she spent over 30 years in Carroll County, Iowa.
Also, during this second phase, Edna facilitated the reunion of Carolyn with her birth mother, Linda Harry, as well as her deceased biological father’s family. Edna embraced Carolyn’s biological family and proved that our love is not finite and grows with every opportunity we allow to happen, whether it be family, friends or neighbors.
She is survived by her children: Kirk Miller (Dominique), Todd Miller, and Carolyn Miller; grandchildren Amanda Pollitt (Ben), Austin Miller (Mary Catherine), and Ashley Miller; great-grandchildren Luke Pollitt, Lucy Miller, and Charles Miller; siblings Mitch Snyder, Pete Snyder, Irvin Snyder, and Mildred Snyder.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Irvin and Edna Snyder; sisters Sue Schur and Lillis Snyder; and husbands Charles Miller and Donald Janssen.
Edna created lasting memories with each generation of her family. Amanda spent cherished summers with Grandma Edna and Grandpa Charles in Spirit Lake. Ashley and Austin fondly recall their summer visits to Lanesboro with Grandma Edna and Grandpa Don. Grandchild memories filled with love, laughter, golf cart rides, kittens, fireflies, fireworks, ice cream cones, stories, music, and the simple joys of being together.
May the memory of Edna Anne Janssen bring comfort to all who knew her—a woman whose hands crafted beauty, whose heart nurtured generations, and whose spirit will continue to inspire those she leaves behind.
