Alvin Dean ‘Al’ Miles (1940-2022)

Alvin Dean ‘Al’ Miles, 82, of Minneapolis, Kan. was born March 18, 1940, the fifth child of Earl Lee and Susan Edna (Burger) Miles at their farmstead between Halstead and Newton, Kan.

Al went home to Heaven Wednesday, May 25, 2022 and was joyfully reunited with the first love of his life and the mother of their children, Sue (Hyatt) Miles; his beloved youngest daughter, Deanna Miles; his parents and all of his siblings, Arthur (Virginia) Miles, Gladys (Noble) Bazil, Mildred (Richard) West, Lois (William) Carpenter, and Ivan (Donna) Miles.

Al’s childhood was spent in the Peabody-Burns area where he attended school, graduating from Burns High School in 1958. After high school Al joined the U.S. Army and served a tour of duty in Korea and upon returning home he met Sue in Newton, Kan., where she worked as a soda jerk in a small drugstore. On Oct. 6, 1963, they were united in marriage in the Baptist Church in Peabody and made their first home in Peabody as well. To this union were born four daughters.

The family moved to Alaska, then Montana before coming back to Peabody, where Al began his career as an electrician with B&W Electric in Salina, Kan. Shortly thereafter they moved a final time to Minneapolis where Al eventually retired 35 years later.

Al and Sue ran the Corner Drive Inn in Minneapolis for a time with the help of their girls, then opened their own restaurant, Sue’s Kountry Kitchen, in Minneapolis as well and also with the help of all of their children and spouses.

After Sue’s death in December, 2001, Al married the second love of his life, Joan Zook, at the farm south of Minneapolis on June 29, 2002. They made their home there until February, 2012 when they moved into their current home in Minneapolis.

After his retirement, Al kept busy as a part-time bus driver for Salina Charter Coach and Village Tours & Travel. Al was instrumental in helping revive the carnival for the fair in Minneapolis, working closely with many others to establish the Ottawa County Service Corporation, and also served for many years on the Rock City Board. He also enjoyed model trains and working in the yard and gardening with Joan.

Survivors include: spouse Joan of the home; daughters Deborah (Terry) Shriver of New Cambria, Kan., Melinda (Paul) Martinez of Peabody, Kan., Melissa (Andy) Oberle of Ellsworth, Kan.; forever-son-in-law Marc Reinbold of Bavaria, Kan.; stepson David (Melody Graves) Rock of Solomon, Kan.; stepdaughter Jody (Shawn) Tieking of Andover, Kan.; grandchildren Jessica (Brandon) Clements, Zachary (Kayla) Breen, Meghan (Arif) Sheikh, Marissa Reinbold, Devin (Kelsi) Reinbold, Luke (Gentry) Oberle, Joseph (Alexandra) Oberle, Dustin Rock, Destiny Rock, Lauren Savery, Sophia and Noah Tieking; great-grandchildren Dawson Kratzer, Zoey, Zane and Zaley Rock Clements, Rylan and Declan Clements, Emma, Liam, Vivian and Colton Breen, DaeLn Reeves-Breen, Payslee Bower, Sarah, Amelia, Aydin and Zayvian Sheikh, Easton, Asher, Emric and Ailee Slocum, Nicklaus and Chase Reinbold, William Oberle, Lorelei Ray, and Paisley Quattlebaum; sister-in-law Beth Lawson; brother-in-law Ernest (Sue) Bailey; and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Viewing will be Friday, 2-8 p.m. June 3 at Wilson Family Funeral Home, Minneapolis with family present from 6-8 p.m.

Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 4, CrossPoint Church, Salina, with interment following at Highland Cemetery in Minneapolis. Grandsons Zac, Devin, Luke, Joseph, Dustin, Noah and eldest great-grandson, Dawson, to serve as pallbearers.

Family and friends are invited to visit at the home afterward to celebrate Al’s life.

Memorials are suggested to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or to Ottawa County Service Corporation.