To spot the L.D. Miller Funeral Home, just look for the large, white stucco building on the corner with a red-tiled roof, deep red awnings above arched doorways, and a tall chimney peeking up at the back-it’s hard to miss with its bold sign and striking Spanish Revival charm!
Alright, let’s step back into early 1900s Sioux Falls. Imagine horses clip-clopping by as Lee D. Miller opens his humble livery barn and funeral home here-now, that’s not your average neighborly combo! By the 1920s, old Lee must’ve been quite the business magician, merging two rival funeral homes into his own. Things got even livelier when he brought in an all-star sidekick-his wife-who just happened to be the first woman ever licensed as an embalmer in all of South Dakota! That certainly raised some eyebrows and, I imagine, maybe even inspired a few ghost stories along Main Avenue.
In 1923 he called in the local wizards of architecture, Perkins & McWayne, who conjured up this very building. Picture it brand new: white stucco gleaming in the sun, red tiles sparkling after a rain, with arched windows that seem to wink at every passerby. The strong Mission Revival style gives it a certain… well, “je ne sais death?”-okay, I’ll see myself out. Step closer and you might spot the beautiful stained glass skylight in the chapel, quietly catching colors-and memories-through every South Dakota sunrise since 1923. So as you stand here, you’re not just looking at a funeral home, but a monument to changing times, powerful women, and a little town’s big history, all told in white walls and red tiles.
