Obituary of Varie Miller Seay

Varie Elizabeth Sanders Miller Seay, 90, of Kempson Bridge Road, Saluda, died, Sunday, December 2, 2012 at Lexington Medical Center, Lexington, SC. Born February, 12, 1922 in Saluda County, she was a daughter of the late James Otto and Sallie Elizabeth Schumpert Sanders. She was formerly married to the late Smith Harold Miller and was the widow of Virley Haston Seay. Mrs. Seay was a resident of West Columbia from 1948 to 1977 and retired from Lown Town Piggly Wiggly after 22 years of service and served on the supervisory committee of the SC Food Retailers Association. She was a member of Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church in West Columbia where she had taught in the Infant Nursery Department for over 60 years and was named the first "Teacher of the Year" and the nursery was named in her honor in 1973. The church presented her with a certificate of appreciation for devoted service to the church nursery in 1994. She helped organized the first Cub Scout Pack at Mt. Hebron and was a Den Mother for several years. She was a member and helped organize the Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department. She was the last surviving member of the 1939 class of Hollywood High School. She was predeceased by a son, H. Dale Miller on October 16, 2012; sisters, Helen Sanders Nichols and Ruby Lee Sanders Gibson; and a brother, James B. Sanders. She is survived by her children and their spouses, Sonja M. (Harry) Huggins of Hemingway, Barbara Miller of Newberry, SC, Glenn C. Miller (Patricia Kekas) of Spartanburg, SC, Don Miller of Lexington, SC, Cheryl M. (Murvis) Mims of Turbeville, SC, Janet M. (Thomas) Kurgan of Milwaukee, WI, and Gayle Miller of Gilbert, SC; daughter-in-law, Dell Miller of Silverstreet, SC; 14 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren; and sister, Lona Sanders Pugh of West Columbia, SC. Visitation will be 6:00-8:00 PM Thursday, December 6, 2012 at Thompson Funeral Home in Lexington, SC. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 AM, Friday, December 7, 2012, at Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church, 3050 Leaphart Road, West Columbia, SC 29169, by the Reverend Timothy L. Rogers and the Reverend Larry F. Hays. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Epworth Children's Home, 2900 Millwood Avenue, Columbia, SC 29205; Ronald McDonald House, 2955 Colonial Drive, Columbia, SC 29203; or Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church Chancel Choir, 3050 Leaphart Road, West Columbia, SC 29169. The J. F. Floyd Mortuary, Spartanburg, SC, and Thompson Funeral Home, Lexington, SC, are in charge of arrangements.