Rita Blanche Miller

Rita B. Miller was born on September 28, 1938 to Roy and Royetta (Belcher) Sammons in Wyandotte, Michigan. She accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior in February of 1952 and went to be with Him on April 1st, 2023. She married Dan Miller on June 26th, 1956. They moved from Michigan to Colorado in 1971 and made their home in Byers where they immediately became members of Mt. Tabor Baptist Church. While raising six children and taking care of a farm with Dan, Rita served as a bus driver for the Byers school district for many years. In her 40’s, she decided to earn her bachelor’s degree, then went on to teach math at Byers high school, where she was affectionately nicknamed, “no mercy Miller” - a name that also described what it was like to play her in a game of canasta. Those who knew Rita knew she loved Pepsi, puzzles, sewing, gardening, and antiques - but above all, you knew she loved Jesus. Since the day of her salvation in 1952, she spent the following 70 years serving Him through her witness to family, friends, and her community. She served the church whole-heartedly - and even up until the week of her passing, she led Bible studies and helped with Awana’s. In her final hours on earth, she continually witnessed to her family and found comfort in being read scripture at her bedside. Preceding Rita in death were her husband (Daniel Miller), sister (Nancy), brothers (Roy and David), a daughter (Jane Forte), and two infant grandchildren. She is survived by five children (Richard, Nancy, Robert, Loretta, and Ronald), fourteen grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Mt. Tabor Baptist Church, Byers, Colorado.