Of Tragedy and Valor
Stella Lilian Rumbelow

Stella Lillian Rumbelow was born at Encounter Bay Victor Harbor on 2nd April 1898 to Godfery Rumbelow and Ada Rumbelow (nee Heading).

BIRTH: SA Birth Index shows her name as Seila or Sella or Selia. The Biographical Index of South Australians 1836-1885 shows her name as Stella Lillian

MARRIAGE: Witnesses - G Rumbelow, Driver of Maylands & S G Rumbelow, Driver of Maylands.

Stella married Leonard Albert Miller on 23rd June 1914 at 16 years of age. 

Len was an engineer, who, by reputation could make or fix anything, and he passed on these skills to his sons who were in the motor or farm machinery businesses. Stella suffered from asthma and was confined to bed much of the time in later years. 

They had 12 children; Dorothy, Frank 2nd, Edith, George, Joyce, Audrey, Daphne, Gwen, Marjorie, Valma, Len and Stan.

DEATH: She died in 1972 aged 74 years

FUNERAL: Miller Stella Lillian 1971-09-08  (Notice in Adelaide Advertiser)

BURIAL: Photo - Section Q 4 E. 'Resting together'

Australia:South Australia;Cheltenham Cemetery Index.

Leonard Albert Miller

BIRTH: The Index shows the birthplace as Collingwood.

MARRIAGE: Witnesses - G Rumbelow, Driver of Maylands & S G Rumbelow, Driver of Maylands. He married aged 24 yrs.

OCCUPATION: Engineer

DEATH: Pulmonary Oedema, Left Ventricular Failure, Arteriosclerosis (10 days). He died aged 64 yrs.

The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) - Monday 2 August 1954 – Page 18 - 

“MILLER. — On July 29, Leonard Albert, beloved husband of Stella Lillian Miller, of 68 Victoria street, Queenstown and loving father of Dorothy, Frank, Edith, George, Joyce, Audrey, Daphne, Gwen, Marjorie, Valma, Leonard and Stanley. Aged 64 years. At rest.”

FUNERAL: The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) - Monday 2 August 1954 – Page 18 - 

“MILLER. — THE FRIENDS of the late Mr. LEONARD ALBERT MILLER are respectfully informed that his Remains were removed from his late residence, 68 Victoria street, Queenstown, on SATURDAY MORNING, 31st instant, and privately laid to rest in the Cheltenham Cemetery. HAROLD J. MOORE & SONS. Funeral Directors, Funeral Parlor, 228 Port road, Alberton. J1057 and JL3893.”

BURIAL: Photo - Section Q 4 E. Undertaker - Alf Moore of Port Road, Alberton. 'Resting together'

Stella and How had 12 children; Dorothy, Frank 2nd, Edith, George, Joyce, Audrey, Daphne, Gwen, Marjorie, Valma, Len and Stan.

• Dorothy Heslop Miller was born in South Australia on 4th October 1914 and married Carl Adolph Sandelin McCann on 5th September 1936. Carl enlisted in the Australian Army on 5th January 1942 and when discharged on 5th February 1948 was attached to 6AAT COY. Dorothy and Carl had three children. Carl died in 1966 and Dorothy then married Leslie Chant on 26th June 1971. Leslie enlisted in the Australian Army on 12th July 1941 and when discharged on 11th November 1943 was attached to 6 Coy AASC. Dorothy died on 30th July 1991.

• Frank Albert Miller was born at Coburg, Victoria on 25th November 1917 and married Joyce Irene Burns Baker on 22nd May 1943. Frank worked with his father while still attending school, then was apprenticed to Richards Engineering at Woodville before joining his father in business. Frank then founded FA Miller and Co, an engineering business at Port Adelaide before starting a successful farm machinery sales and service organization at Lameroo, SA. Frank and Joyce had two sons. Joyce died in childbirth delivering their second son on 31st August 1944 and Frank then married Margaret Croxton on 7th June 1947.

• Edith Stella Miller was born at Payneham on 26th April 1919 and married Perce Albert Semmler, a welder and boiler maker. Edith and Perce had three children and Edith died on 3rd November 1988.

• George Godfrey Miller was born at Payneham on 24th May 1920 and married Ethel May Fay Goodenough on 25th October 1941. George served in the Australian Army during World War Two, enlisting on 26th July 1940. He was a motor mechanic with City Motors and then became a maintenance mechanic. George and Ethel had two children.

• Joyce Lillian Miller was born at Richmond, SA, on 11th February 1922 and married Donald James Mathews. Donald enlisted in the Australian Army on 29th May 1940 and when discharged on 7th September 1943 was attached to 2/27 Battalion, 2nd AIF. Joyce and Donald had seven children. Donald died in 1974 and Joyce then married Patrick Connors. She later married Fred Combe on 19th December 1996. Joyce died on 5th June 2003.

• Audrey Mae Miller was born at Richmond on 10th February 1925 and married Leonard Warren Stewart on 27th March 1948. Len enlisted in the Australian Army on 1st February 1941 and when discharged on 26th June 1942 was attached to Sup Coln 4 MD. Audrey and Len, a bootmaker, had two children.

• Daphne Joan Miller was born at Clarendon on 7th November 1926 and married Glen Arthur Samuel Last on 18th November 1950. Glen enlisted in the Australian Army on 19th April 1943 and when discharged on 14th June 1946 was attached to NSW LTD Staff.Daphne and Glen, who later worked as a bus and tram driver with the Metropolitan Tramways Trust, had two children.

• Gwendoline Parsons Miller was born at Clarendon on 28th November 1927 and married Reginald Harold Gilbert on 12th June 1948. Reg enlisted in the RAAF on 17th February 1942 and when discharged on 26th November 1945 was a Leading Aircraftsman attached to 13 Squadron, Canberra. Gwen and Reg, a greengrocer in Payneham and St Peters in Adelaide had four children.

• Marjorie Dawn Miller was born at Clarendon on 30th April 1929 and married Frank William Maidment on 23rd December 1950. Frank was a fitter and turner who became an administrator with South Australian Railways. Marjorie and Frank had four children.

• Valma Jean Miller was born at Edwardstown on 8th November 1930 and married Stephen Raymond White on 28th October 1950. Valma and Stephen, a toolmaker, had five children. Stephen died on 3rd June 1977 and Valma then married Leonard Frank Battams on 3rd September 1979.

• Leonard Kenneth Miller was born at Blackwood on 21st October 1932 and married Lorraine June Penley on 21st November 1953. Len worked with his father in Miller Sons before progressing through the ranks as a motor mechanic to run a very successful Volkswagen Service business for a number of years. He then became a trade school teacher and consultant to the Automotive Industry Training Board. Len and Lorraine had five children.

• Stanley Leslie Miller was born at Queenstown on 12th November 1935 and married Joan Irene Beare on 20th October 1962. Stan and Joan run a successful motor workshop, spare parts outlet and wrecking business and they and their business were strong supporters of stock car racing in South Australia. Joan, in fact, was a successful driver in “demolition derby” events until just last year, 2004. Stan and Joan have two children; 

Victor Harbour Times (SA: 1932-1986)- Wedesday10November 1982 - Page 26-

'80 for reunion

Victor Harbor: About 80 to 100 descendants of Leonard and Stella Miller will attend a family reunion at 73 Franklin Parade on November 28. They will travel from various parts of South Australia for the reunion, which will include a barbecue lunch and tea as well as reminiscing. Stella Miller was the daughter of Godfrey and Ada Rumbelow, of Victor Harbor.'

The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931) - Wednesday 9 February 1916 - Page 8 -

"A STREET MISHAP.

Constable Smitham reported to the city watchhouse that at 11 a.m. on Tuesday a motor car, driven by Mr. S. P. Boyce, of Smith-street, Walkerville, overtook and knocked over Mr. Leonard Miller, of Phyllis-street, Maylands, who was riding a bicycle along Rundle-street. Mr. Miller escaped injury, but the bicycle was slightly damaged."

The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931) - Wednesday 23 June 1926 - Page 13 -

“A HOME DESTROYED BY FIRE.

When Mr. Leonard Albert Miller, of Arnold-street, Parkside, returned with his family shortly before midnight on Monday from a motor trip to Clarendon, only the blackened ruins of their home remained. Mr. Miller and his wife and six children occupied the house, and when they left for Clarendon at 4 p.m. on Monday a partly extinguished fire was left in the dining room fireplace. Shortly before 5 p.m. neighbors observed the premises to be on fire, and although the Unley fire brigade was summoned, practically nothing of the building and contents was saved. When the householder returned at 11.55 p.m. he found a constable on duty at the charred remains of his home. The house was insured for £75 and the contents for £200.”

The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931) - Saturday 4 February 1928 – Page 9 - 

“A FITTER'S INSOLVENCY. 

A second-class certificate, to be suspended for one month, was awarded in the Adelaide Insolvency Court on Friday to Leonard Albert Miller, a fitter, of Clarendon. Judge Paine said the report on the insolvent's affairs disclosed a lack of business acumen, but apart from that there was not much for which he could be blamed. The suspension, which was purely nominal, was imposed for not having kept proper books of accounts."