Virginia Mae (Smith) Miller passed away on March 12, 2019 in Scottsbluff. As a family we were able to celebrate her 98th birthday on March 6th just a week before her passing. It was a joyous day for us all.
As per Virginia’s wishes, cremation has taken place and a Memorial Service will be held at 11 AM on Friday, April 19, 2019 at the First Presbyterian Church in Scottsbluff with Reverend Jeff Fiet officiating. Inurnment will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Scottsbluff. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Regional West Foundation- Virginia Miller Scholarship Attn: Julie Marshall Two West 42nd Street Scottsbluff, NE 69361 in order to honor Virginia’s legacy in the Nursing Program at Regional West. Online condolences may be left at www.dugankramer.com
Virginia was born March 6, 1921 in Fullerton, Nebraska to Cecil and Nellie (Castle) Smith. She married Wilton Roy Miller and had two children David and Catherine. She is survived by her daughter Catherine Schwarz, her grandchildren Andrew Schwarz and Christine (Jon) Borkowski, and two great grandchildren Brayden and Jameson. She is also survived by a host of nephews and nieces and their families and she loved them all. Family was everything to her.
In 1954 Virginia became the director of The West Nebraska School of Nursing until 1986 whenshe retired. She was a pioneer in nursing for Western Nebraska and left a legacy of wonderful, talented and caring nurses.
In 1984, she received the J.G Elliot award for medical excellence in the state of Nebraska. She was the first woman to receive this award. In 1987 she was awarded the Trail Blazer award from the Scottsbluff Gering Chamber of Commerce.
Although Virginia had many family members, none of us lived in Scottsbluff, so we want to thank all the care givers at the Village and Scottsbluff Rehab who were her family when we couldn’t be there for her. And a special thank you to Cara Perkins who is no longer with us but looked after her like no one else and Myla Schwartz, a former nursing student of Virginia’s who said she was just “paying it forward.”
Virginia’s life was one of understated excellence. Those in her orbit, from her students to her family can testify to that. In short, she made the world a better place.
“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” – Pericles
