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Chenda Miller

Chenda (Gardner) Miller was born in Red Springs, WI. She is the daughter of Angela (Ann Martin) Gardner and Adrian (Cobby) Gardner. Chenda moved to Bartelme when she was about three years old. She lived in Sturgeon Bay for a few years.

Chenda attended school at various places. She attended kindergarten and 1st grade in Sturgeon Bay, then Stockbridge school until the sixth grade, and then to the Bowler school, where she graduated.

Chenda married Douglas Miller  in Red Springs and they have four girls and two boys, who all live near the reservation, except Kay who lives in Alaska.

Doug and Chenda have six grandchildren and three step-grandchildren and one great grandson, Ethan.

Chenda’s most enjoyable memory as a child includes learning to drive. "We had horses, which someone had to ride and drive when plowing, dragging and haying. When winter came we drove them to the Anderson Road for pasture, that was my first experience," said Chenda. "Then we got a tractor that I learned to drive."

Chenda told how she learned to drive a truck. "He had 3 or 4 trucks which the Moede boys would drive at work but on week ends when my Dad had side jobs, Herbie and I would drive them and he would load us up with gravel and we would deliver it, some time as far away as Aniwa and Clintonville. One time the police stopped us, Herby stopped but I kept going. My Dad had to go to court and got a fine because we weren’t old enough for license," said Chenda.

The things Chenda enjoys doing now include: Attending grandchildren ball games and activities. "All six grandchildren who are in school play sports, so they keep us busy," said Chenda. When they she finds the time, Chenda enjoys traveling. "We have a RV home for long trips," said Chenda. She also enjoys sewing and reading.

Some Accomplishments include their children assisting them in building their own house from an old cottage. "We did everything but put the beams up, we worked every night until we got to fighting, then we would jump into the lake then go back to the reservation" said Chenda. "The next night it would be the same thing, it still isn’t finished, but it was a family project and we had fun." Another accomplishment is that she got to retire.

A lesson for the youth is to put your trust and believe in God. "He is always there for you, you can talk to him any time." She said.

A funny story that Chenda had went a little bit like this. "During our recent trip to Alaska we had been traveling for along time with Doug driving. He got tired so drove into a low end of a large parking lot, and went to sleep. I woke up and a sign was outside of my window said "BEWARE, High Tidal Area, may be 5 feet high." I got in the driver’s seat fast and drove away cause I didn’t know how long we had been there. The next day we went to find the place and it must have been in high tide cause we couldn’t find it."