Betty Lynn (Roberts) Miller

Betty Lynn Miller, age 80,  Passed away peacefully at her home, surrounded by her family on June 27, 2024.

Born May 19, 1944, to William Oliver and Verdie Cluck Roberts, Betty lived her entire life in Hamblen County growing up on the Senter-Everett-Roberts Families’ Century Farm in the Manley community.  

Betty was preceded in death by her devoted parents and loving husband, David Douglas Miller, a veteran of the Vietnam Conflict, who died in 1985.  

She is survived by her three devoted children:  William Stephen Miller (Christine), and Martha Lee Miller both of Morristown, and Ashlee Marion Heiskell Miller Freels (Glen) of Cedartown, GA; three grandchildren: Emma Lynn Miller of Morristown, Oaklee Raelynn Merle Freels and Slayden David Freels of Cedartown, GA, and step-grandsons, Billy Gordon Brizendine, III and Gage Austin Freels; sister: Dr. Kitty Lee Roberts Coffey (Dr. Benjamin), of Morristown; brothers-in-law: Joseph Rodney Miller (Kathy) and John Timothy Miller; sister-in-law, Diane Hyleman Miller; nieces: Kelley Jo Miller NeSmith (Scotty) and Madilyn Miller; nephew Cody Dayton Miller (Jill); great nieces: Josie Brooks, Ruby Miller, and Emmylou Nelson; and a number of cousins with whom she celebrated many family holidays throughout her lifetime.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her mother-and father-in-law Dr. Fred Dayton and Marion Ruth Heiskell Miller, and brothers-in-law Lon Stephen Miller and Robert Paul Miller.

Following in both parents’ footsteps, Betty adopted her mother’s public school teaching vocation and her father’s farming avocation devoting her life to her family, farming, friends, homemaking and her students at West Elementary School where she served as a dedicated teacher for 35 years as one of the charter faculty.

As a youth, Betty was active in the 4-H Club.  At age 8 she drove the Farmall Cub tractor pulling the Hamilton National Bank float in the 1957 Centennial Parade with her father walking by her side.  Betty graduated from Morristown High School (MHS) class of 1962 and earned her BS in Elementary Education from Carson-Newman College (University).  Accommodating her children's interests in horses, Betty and family became members of the Hamblen County/Tennessee High School Rodeo Association.  This evolved into the Miller family’s favorite past-time with eight years of participation in local, state, and national High School Rodeo competitions. 

Following retirement from teaching in 2001, Betty became an active member of the Morristown Ladies Junior Reading Circle, chaired the Alpha Delta Kappa teacher’s sorority, and was a member of the the Hamblen County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee through which she participated in projects, in particular chairing the scrapbook project.

Betty, along with her husband David, a member of the Carson-Newman debate team, were civic minded and passionate about service to country and community.  Betty fulfilled her passion for politics by supporting her husband’s campaign for a seat in the Tennessee State Assembly which he held in the mid-seventies. After David’s untimely death, she served in leadership roles for the Hamblen County Democratic Women’s Association.

Betty was a life-long member of Centenary United Methodist Church of Morristown where she was active in the Methodist Youth Fellowship and assisted in the nursery and Sunday School.

The family will receive friends from 2-4 PM, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in the East Chapel of Allen Funeral Home.  Funeral services will follow the visitation at 4 PM, with Rev. Vivian Reed (Centenary United Methodist Church) officiating and a eulogy will be delivered by the Honorable Harry Brooks (friend of Betty and David’s since their years together at Carson-Newman University).  Graveside services will be held at 10 AM, Monday, July 1, 2024, in Historic Bethesda Cemetery.  A procession to the cemetery from Allen Funeral Home will begin at 9:15 AM.  Serving as pallbearers are Glen Freels, Johnny Miller, Cody Miller, Gage Freels, Jonathan Ramsey, and Phil Austin.  Serving as honorary pallbeares are Slayden Freels and Billy Brizendine.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Friends of Bethesda, PO Box 724, Morristown, TN 37814 or Centenary United Methodist Church, 206 N. Jackson Street, Morristown, TN 37814.

The family expresses their gratitude to Amedisys Home Health, Caris Hospice, and Dr. Richard Carter.

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