Kirwin resident, Helen Elizabeth (McCamon) Miller Cannon passed away Saturday, October 3, 2020 at the Phillips County Hospital in Phillipsburg, KS.  She was 97.

Helen was the third child of ten born to Edgar Vivan and Merle Elizabeth (Addis) McCamon on June 18, 1923 in Sayre, OK.  She graduated from Berlin High School on May 28, 1942.

She was united in marriage on June 12, 1942 to Durland N Miller.  While Durland was in the Air Force basic training she attended Business College in Oklahoma City.  She then went to work for Western Union in Oklahoma City.  Durland was sent to Randolph Field Air Force base in San Antonio, TX, so Helen transferred to the Western Union office there and worked until he volunteered to go overseas a short time before D Day.  During this time, Helen transferred back to the Oklahoma City office until the end of World War II.

Following the War, they moved to Southern California where Durland worked as a truck driver hauling fruits and vegetables.  Helen worked as the secretary for the trucking company.  Their daughter Betty Elaine was born in San Bernadino, CA in September of 1947.  When Betty turned three, the family moved back to Oklahoma to be near her grandparents.

Together they operated a Grade A Dairy five miles south of Cheyenne, OK.  In November 1953 their son Durland Ray was born.  He was so small from being premature, he was sent home in a shoe box.  This was a busy time as he was fed every hour with an eye dropper.

In 1957 they bought a farm with a large brooder house and moved into the Berlin school district.  They raised 5000 turkeys a year, raised hogs, bailed hay and many other chores until 1962 when they moved to Sayre and purchased the Dairy Mart Drive-In Restaurant.  Following Durlands death she worked at the hospital as a Nurse's Aide.    She later met and married Johnny Cannon.  Following Johnny's death she moved to Kirwin to be with her daughter and family.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents Edgar Vivan and Merle Elizabeth, 4 brothers, 4 sisters, a granddaughter Shari Miller Herzberg, and her husbands Durland and Johnny.

Survivors include her daughter, Betty Still and husband Robert of Rural Kirwin; her son Ray Miller and wife Lorene of Claremore, OK; five grandchildren: Krista (Still) DeVoe and husband Chris, Ryan Still and wife Danielle, Jimmy Miller and wife Wendy, Darrell Miller and wife Shannon; thirteen great grandchildren; one great great grandchild; a brother Bill McCamon and wife Joan of Amarillo, TX; and a sister Sue (McCamon) Weaver and husband Joe of Garden City, KS.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, with Pastor Michael Ricci-Roberts officiating.  These services will be streamed life on Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel Facebook page .

Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, October 9, 2020 in the Berlin Cemetery, Berlin, OK.  Arrangements for graveside services will be by the Martin-Dugger Funeral Home in Elk City, OK.

Mrs. Miller Cannon will lie in state Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, then Thursday evening from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Martin-Dugger Funeral Home, Elk City, OK.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Kirwin United Methodist Church or Kirwin Library.