Margaret (Marge) Marie Smetanka Miller
Margaret (Marge) Marie Smetanka Miller (1923-2022) entered Paradise with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on November 25, 2022, with family at her side. Marge was born at home in Denora, Pennsylvania, on September 23, 1923, surviving the Great Depression, World War 2, single motherhood, various Hurricanes, and the Coronavirus pandemic.
Following graduation from Shenley High School, Marge became a Cosmetologist and Co-Manager with her mother Margaret, owner of the Mar‑Jean salon in Pittsburg, PA, open twelve-hour days to serve the women working in factories during the war and the nearby University of Pittsburgh. Marge married in 1946. Her three daughters were born in Wheeling, West Virginia, where they lived for 10 years before moving to Fort Lauderdale, FL in 1956, to live with her parents and grandmother, Buba, where she obtained further education in Business to become the administrative assistant of the Fort Lauderdale High School Library with Librarian, Ms. Ivy Berryhill. During her free time Marge received her first Bible while attending a new believer’s Bible Study class, learned to drive, bought her first car, loved taking her three daughters to the Atlantic Ocean and beaches, shelling, walking, going to the jetties, going on day trips, frequent trips to Birch State Park, going to high school plays and visits to the Library. Eventually she drove us to Key West, FL, and to Smithton, PA, to visit Aunt Gertrude and Uncle John at the Sofran dairy farm, making wonderful life-long memories.
Marge moved to Boise in 1977 and worked for the Boise School District as the administrative assistant to Tom Olson at the Instructional Media Center/ Teacher’s Resource/Records Center in the bomb shelter off Bogus Basin Rd. In 1982, Marge received training and served as a counselor and concourse director for the Boise/Treasure Valley Billy Graham Crusade. Upon retiring in 1991 she received a Robert Auth painting of Silver City in appreciation for her years of service.
She retired to Vero Beach, FL, where she cared for her mother who lived with her. She then served as a companion caregiver and was active in the Vero Beach United Methodist Church. Marge had the joy of a visit to the Holy Land with her church group. In 2004 four consecutive hurricanes struck Vero Beach, with hurricane Jeanne destroying her apartment around her while she and her brother Bernard huddled in the bathroom through the long night. They condemned her entire apartment complex and she lost virtually everything. Marge lived with several church friends for about a year, when she decided to return to Boise to live near family, maintaining a hope filled heart. She became active with the Senior Center of Garden City, enjoying bus field trips around southwest Idaho, and making friendships. Marge looked forward each year to the annual lunch with her three friends who were all the same age on February 19 th . One of her favorite activities was being with her family for cookouts, picnics, visiting State and City Parks, taking hikes, along with celebrating every holiday together as a family.
Marge developed new activities in her retirement; journaling, attending Senior stretch and fit classes, authoring a poem, “Christmas 2016” with an illustration by Arlene Worthington, which was a part of the church’s Advent Devotional. Marge joined the Care & Prayer Ministry. A family keepsake is the document Marge compiled in 2011, from memory, the history of the entire family’s Service in defending the freedom of America.
Marge was a woman of great character and faith in God and passed on her legacy of faith in Jesus Christ to her three daughters and five grandchildren. She befriended and blessed many people in the Name of the Lord. Marge was active, serving in various capacities in the United Methodist churches in each place she lived. Her continual prayer was for courage, strength, and wisdom, bringing glory to God. Marge lived her last 4 years at Grace Assisted Living @ Englefield Green, attending every Tuesday Bible Study with Chaplin Kevin Moyer and friends. We are deeply grateful for her loving care providers and Enhabit Hospice.
One of Marge’s favorite Scriptures was, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
Marge was preceded in death by her dear grandmother Anna Martahaus Miller, her parents John Andrew and Margaret Elizabeth Smetanka, and by her older sister Gertrude Smetanka Sofran, her brother Bernard Smetanka, and her life-long friend Katherine Marie Bovitch. Marge is survived by her three daughters, Cassaundra (Tona) and Bruce Tuttle of Boise, ID, Judi and Jerry Loughrey of Sugar Hill, GA, and Carol Fulton of Forsyth, GA, grand-children Melissa and Richard Weller of Kennesaw, GA, Alicia and Chris Herod of Duluth, GA, Melinda and Jeff Redmond of Nampa, ID, Luke and Lacie Miller of Boise, ID, and Chaunce and Rose Fulton of Jackson, GA, 11 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren Aria Stewart and Wade Lewis. Marge was delighted and fond of her entire family, being available to help in numerous loving ways over all the years making her love and devotion evident to all. She finished her life well, at peace, remaining firm in her faith and surrounded by love.
“Be thou faithful until death and I will give you the Crown of Life.” Revelation 2:10
Arrangements are under the direction of Bowman Funeral Parlor of Garden City.