Betty Smith Miller

Betty Smith Miller 89 Years Loved 11/06/26-2/12/16 To have known Betty Smith Miller is to have loved her. For 89 years, she shared her unending enthusiasm for life with family, friends and those she had yet to meet. On February 12, 2016, surrounded by family, she winged her way to be with the Lord. We are grateful that she no longer hurts, sad, because she is gone from here, and truly thrilled to have shared her magic for as long as we did. The second of five, close-knit Smith children born to Grace Ross Smith and Levie D. Smith, Sr. Betty grew up the acclaimed peacemaker with an infectious belly laugh and a wide, competitive streak""traits that never left her. She played both tennis and the clarinet with equal fervor, helped her Dad tend the rose garden on Columbia Way""and loved her family with a passion. From Levie, Sr. came a love of people and music, the knack of growing championship roses, and an unquenchable inner joy. From Grace, her mom, Betty absorbed a love of family, her gracious Southern manner, and the ability to listen and hear without judgment. Ever. This tiny lady, with her warm heart and endless smile, was bigger than life for us all. Betty was a whirlwind of positive energy""a tireless Gator enthusiast, a fierce tennis competitor and a lover of all things children. When she met ""her"" Tommy Miller, a handsome, self-made young man, both were equally smitten. The couple married June 6 of 1951. Tommy pretended to call the shots and Betty pretended to let him""it was a match made in heaven! When the couple""s two sons, Bobby and Ricky were born, their life felt complete. As the boys grew, their friends came to know and love Mrs. Betty""s piercing whistle and bottomless pantry candy jars. Her intense, ""Let""s go, team!"" got immediate action, always""and who didn""t love hearing that cheerful bellow, ""Is everybody happy?"" When Tommy died in 2007, Betty""s world skewed on its axis, but like others in her greatest generation, she tucked the hurt inside and carried on. Remembering Betty S. Miller brings a smile for the cards with underlined words sent on special days, a grin at her shrieks of happy encouragement across the courts, a nod for Thanksgiving celebrations held with incomparable gusto, and amazement at the 56 years spent playing the piano for First United Methodist Sunday School-ers. (If you are one of her three generations of young singers, thank you for the joy. You mattered.) And oh the personal achievements! Betty was a 1945 LHS graduate who played clarinet in the marching band, a proud 1949 Florida Southern College graduate, president of her Alpha Chi Omega chapter, and secretary of the Lakeland Jr. League. She was also an early member of First United Methodist Church and had one of the strongest tennis serves in her league (she""d gladly have played a set if you dared!). In 1972 Betty quietly earned the highest accolade offered by the Imperial Polk Rose Society, Queen of the Show, with her Garden Party rose. She most likely never mentioned these accolades, but we do""with loving pride! Betty exuded a fun-filled peace that reached out to all those around her, never realizing the wisdom she possessed and the influence she wielded. She placed no expectations on others, but chose happiness, peace, and joy for herself""with a lot of dark chocolate along the way! Betty is predeceased by her (we are sure still-smitten) husband and favorite Gator fan, Robert ""Tommy"" Miller, the world""s best parents, Levie D. and Grace Ross Smith, her brother, Levie D. Smith, Jr., her sister, Lenora Templin, and brothers-in-law/friends, Tom Hagler and Herman Templin. She is survived by two incredible sisters, Billie Joyce Hagler and Caroline Sparks (Don), two handsome and brilliant sons, Bob Miller (Maggie) and Rick Miller (Betty Kay), seven grandchildren, five great grandchildren, 12 nieces and nephews, 23 great nieces and nephews and 24 great, great ones. Her family was her pride and her joy""they were all her favorites. Friends (and others that Betty would love to have met) can visit with her family at the Tribute Center at Heath Funeral Chapel on Friday, February 19, 2016 from 5 until 7 PM, with a celebration of her life on Saturday, February 20, 2016 at 1:30 PM at First United Methodist Church. Over these last weeks, it was a special delight for Betty to be so loved by family and friends who visited, called, wrote and sent sweet thoughts""rest assured that she knew. To our Givers of Care who became family, special thanks for the happiness you brought. Thank you all, for loving her so well. Mom, we miss you. We love you the most. # # # In lieu of flowers, please reach out a hand to help a child in Betty""s memory: Shriners Hospital for Children in Tampa 2900 Rocky Point Drive Tampa, FL 33607 shrinershospitalsforchildren.org Condolences may be sent to the family at www.heathfuneralchapel.com. ding Service: 02/20/2016 First United Methodist Church 72 Lake Morton Drive, Lakeland, FL 33801 Tribute Center at Heath Funeral Chapel Visitation: 02/19/2016 Tribute Center at Heath Funeral Chapel