Retha Malone Miller Letner, 96, of Montpelier passed away peacefully early Wednesday morning at Evergreen Manor Nursing Home in Montpelier. She was born on August 19, 1917 in Clio, Michigan to William Wilbur and Margaret Elizabeth (Edwards) Malone. She married Orville Miller on October 29, 1933 and to this union five children were born. In 1983 she married Virles Letner. Both preceded her in death.
Retha was preceded in death by three children, Evelyn Miller Danner, James Miller, and Rosemary Miller; one grandchild, Michael Miller; two great grandchildren, Christopher Reed and Karlee Andrews; one sister Alice Malone Riddle, and three brothers, Clarence, Earl and Carl Malone.
She is survived by two children and their spouses, O. Raymond and Yovonnah (Lanius) Miller of Montpelier and Florence (Miller) and Norman Smith of Salisbury, Maryland; thirteen grandchildren, twenty four great grandchildren and twenty one great great grandchildren, two great grand step children and two great great grand step children; and many nieces and nephews.
Retha worked for many years for the Hobart, Indiana school system. She was a member of the Montpelier Church of the Nazarene. Ten years ago she moved back to her hometown of Montpelier and enjoyed “neighboring” and ensuring everyone’s birthday was remembered in her apartment complex.
Visitation hours for Retha will be on Sunday May 18th from 2-4pm at the Thompson-Geesey Funeral Home, Empire Chapel at 335 Empire Street in Montpelier. Services will be on Monday at 10:30am at the funeral home with Pastor John Rumple to officiate. Interment will follow at Floral Grove Cemetery in Pioneer. Donations may be made to Evergreen Manor Nursing Home Activity Fund.