Betty Smith

Betty Eileen Miller Smith died Wednesday, June 16, 2021, at The Villas of Jackson Memory Care Unit at the age of 90.

She was born July 16, 1930, at the family farm outside of Oak Ridge, the daughter of Payton and Hazel Kurre Miller. The Millers settled in Cape Girardeau County in 1803. Betty was proud of her long Cape County heritage.

She graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 1948, valedictorian of her class. She was active in high school sports and groups. When asked what sports and clubs she participated in, her answer was, "If the school had it, I was in it." She was a 1957 graduate of Southeast Missouri State College, today University. In 1950, Betty started teaching at North Patton School, a two-room school, in the Patton, Missouri, district. She ended her teaching career 37 years later at the same school, now named Meadow Heights. One unique event in her years of teaching was in 1954-55, when she taught fourth and sixth grades, and her students included four sets of twins, three of whom were identical.

On Aug. 4, 1951, she married Harold Smith, a Bollinger County native, at Oak Ridge Methodist Church. With Harold came a 6-year-old girl named Dixie, who Betty raised and loved as her own. Two daughters were born into the family, Debbie and Deanna. Harold preceded her in death Nov. 12, 1994. They lived their entire married life in Patton. She went to Patton to teach school at the age of 20 and stayed there for 69 years, until she moved into assisted living in Jackson.

Betty was a never still, always ready to talk person. She played volleyball in high school and college; was a 4-H leader; was a member of Patton United Methodist Church, where she played the piano for over 50 years, Patton Saddle Club, president of Bollinger County Teachers Association, Missouri State Teachers Association, Missouri Retired Teachers Association, Blue Creek Quilters and Sedgewickville (Missouri) Homemakers Club. In 1987, she received the Phi Delta Kappa "Southeast Missouri Teacher of the Year" award.

Betty is survived by three daughters, Dixie (Don) Boyce of Ballwin, Missouri, Debbie (James) Deneke of Gordonville and Deanna (John) Carter of Piedmont, Missouri; sister, June Hulsey of Ironton, Missouri; officially cousin, but like a brother, Pete (Judy) Miller of Oak Ridge; grandchildren, Julie (Michael) Matthews of Gordonville, Jason Carter of Piedmont and Jonathan Deneke of Ames, Iowa; great-granddaughters, Macie, Melanie and Mollie Matthews; nieces and nephews, Judi Crites Statler of Sedgewickville, Carol Davis of Canton, Illinois, Matthew Hulsey of Hot Springs, Arkansas, Melissa Hulsey Boren of Farmington, Missouri, and Mary Hulsey of Hot Springs; and countless friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; a stepgranddaughter, Jennifer Boyce; brother-in-law, Dean Hulsey; and nephew, David Hulsey.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staffs of The Villas of Jackson and Crown Hospice for the care, comfort and guidance they provided.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Meadow Heights School District or Oak Ridge Schools Foundation.

Betty has gone home.

Friends may call from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the Liley Funeral Home in Patton. Visitation will also be from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday at the Patton United Methodist Church, followed by the funeral at 2 p.m.