Elizabeth "Betty" Miller

Elizabeth Miller of Manchester, VT died after a long illness on July 7, 2022 in the Equinox Terrace at the age of 98. She was born in a house which was located next to the Shaftsbury General Store, on November 18, 1923. She was the daughter of Lee Edward Hewes and Georgianna “Forrest” Hewes. Her father was a meat cutter who sold his wares out of a wagon. After her family moved to Winhall, she attended the Grahamville School and other schools in the area. She met Ted Miller and at the age of 16 she married him in the Dorset Inn Annex. Initially, they moved from one logging job to another and found shelter wherever they could, often living in logging camps in the backwoods. She found work wherever she could in order to supplement the household income. Once they lived for six months at the famous Clark Lodge in Mt. Tabor in 1940, when their first daughter was just three months old. They also went to the Hapgood Pond area in the initial stages of its development. She moved to many different towns in her life, including Mt. Tabor, Grafton, Winhall, Peru, Sunderland, Dorset, and Manchester. Her daughter Marion “Micky” was born in Bennington Hospital. Her youngest daughter, Pamela, was born at a logging camp in Mt. Tabor in 1944. Dr. Pingree delivered her by kerosene lantern. They finally settled down in Peru where they remained for many years. Later they were caretakers for Sydney Stokes in Dorset and the Morelands in Sunderland. As their health declined, Betty and Ted decided to move closer to their daughter Pam in Manchester. After Ted’s death, she lived in the Meadows in Manchester for many years, making many new friends. When Betty became more unable to live by herself, her family built her a beautiful room in her daughter’s house, and she went to live there for over two years, before having to go into the Equinox Terrace. After 58 years of marriage, her husband Theodore Miller died in 1998 and shortly after that her first daughter, Marion, died in 2001. Betty never fully recovered from the loss of her daughter. Also in 1992, Betty had suffered the loss of her grandson, Craig Squires. From a young age she had always worked. From Johnny Seesaw’s, the Bromley House, the Peru Store, as well as privately working for Dalton Mann, Lorraine Kelton, Nina Farnum, Sydney Stokes, Louis Moreland and ten years at Union Carbide, with McDonalds and Orvis as well. She was a representative for Beeline Clothing for many years and travelled all over the area holding Beeline parties. She taught Sunday School in the Peru Church along with Kermit Reilly. She worked at the famous Wiley Inn for years. She loved bowling at the Center Lanes in Manchester. In order to earn a little extra money for Christmas, she picked apples in the Gilbert Orchard as well as the Mad Tom Orchard, often picking 100 bushels of apples a day. She was always working. Her devotion to her family also kept her busy. But she found time to play bingo and enjoyed going to the Batchelder’s Barn dances in Peru, on senior trips, and knitting. She made some beautiful sweaters for many of the new babies in her family. But there was one thing she loved to do more than all the others — she loved to talk on the phone! She could have been the poster child for the telephone company. Betty had some very close friends throughout her life especially Agnes McDonald, Greta Crandall of Peru, Mary Miner of Manchester, and Harriet Dawson of Dorset. Harriet was holding her hand when Betty passed away. Our family cannot thank all these people enough for all the joy and caring they gave her during her life. Betty reveled in the love of her family. Time spent with grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren was time she adored. She was a devoted matriarch over many generations of her extensive family and always offered her time and her love. Her life was never easy, but she always faced the challenges she had with conviction and a special brand of determination. She was a strong advocate for her family. She lorded over them like a mother hen. In the end, her family and friends were her most cherished possession. She was an excellent cook with specialties like popovers, fudge, soft molasses cookies, and her award-winning chocolate chip pie. Many of her pies were judged as the best in a variety of local contests especially at the Peru Fair where she won many blue ribbons. In her long and busy life, she did the best she could with what she had. She lived nearly an entire century on this earth and in her own way, left it a better place. She will be missed by all those who knew her. Survivors include her daughter, Pamela (Bill) West of Manchester Ctr., VT. 7 grandchildren (remembering Craig Squires who died in 1992); Kelley (Scott) MacDonald of Fairbanks, AK, Robert (Cinnamon) Wright of Big Rock, TN, Garry Squires (Karol Rawson) of Manchester Ctr., VT, Nancy Malkin of Georgetown, DE, Glenn (Kelsea) Squires of Southwest Harbor, ME, Jonathan (Thomas) West of Manchester Ctr., VT, and Stuart (Lawrence Voigtsberger) Wright of Saratoga Springs, NY. 17 great-grandchildren: Sean, Melissa, Scott, Christina, Danielle, Jessica, Katherine, Andrew, Richard, Corey, Isabella, Scarlett, Scottie, Grace, Charlotte, Eleanor, and Henry; 15 great-great grandchildren: Dakota, Abbey, Benjamin, Kadence, Landon, Montana, Brenna, Asa, Scottie, Reese, Finnegan, Mia, Dominic, Macie, Caeden. Betty was predeceased by her husband Ted, her daughter Marion “Micky”, her grandson Craig Squires; brothers: Bud, Ken, and Clifford; sisters: Jo, Thelma, Lula, Theresa, and Alice. Betty’s family want to extend our gratitude to Dr. Roger Fox and his assistant Cyndy for all their many years of taking such wonderful care of Betty. Our sincerest thanks go out to the VNA and Hospice Organization for their kind and professional assistance in caring for her in her final months. Please make any donations in Betty’s name, to the Vermont Nursing Association and Hospice c/o Brewster-Shea Funeral Service PO Box 885 Manchester Center, VT 05255. Without the wonderful and loving guidance of Director Alex Sands and her wonderful dog Tucker, we would have been lost. We also want to thank Tom and his staff at the Brewster-Shea Funeral Home in Manchester as well as all the wonderful staff at the Equinox Terrace. A celebration of life for Elizabeth will be held in Peru, with a service in the Peru Cemetery on August 21, 2022 at 1:00 PM, followed by refreshments and food at the Town Center. To send personal condolences, please visit www.sheafuneralhomes.com