Albertha Harris Miller, affectionately known as "Bertha," was a compassionate and caring woman who always went out of her way to help others - no matter what. Bertha was born on February 5, 1942, in Bryant, FL. She was the seventh of twelve children born to the late Sylvester Harris and Geraldine Perry Harris.
After the family moved to Key West, Florida, she attended Douglass High School where she excelled as a basketball player. She graduated from Douglass in the Class of 1960.
In 1963, Bertha met and married John Miller with whom she had two daughters, Lisa and Lori. Bertha and John were married until 1976. Bertha lived in San Diego, CA, and Cocoa Beach, FL, before returning home to Key West in 1976.
Bertha soon gained employment with Woolworth Department Store and was later employed at Fausto's Food Palace. In April 1995, she transitioned into a career with the City of Key West working as a Parking Enforcement Specialist. She eventually went on to become a Parking Lot Attendant at the Historic Seaport, where her passion for people grew. Bertha greeted everyone with a smile and enjoyed every day in the "booth," as she would call it. She retired from the City of Key West in September 2009 as a Finance Revenue Cash Clerk.
Bertha was a woman of unwavering faith and compassion. These qualities were demon started by her devotion to St. James First Missionary Baptist Church where she was an active member. Her many positions at St. James included serving as a Deaconess and member of the Finance Board, Building Fund Committee, and Usher Board. Bertha also assisted with weekly dinner sales and Vacation Bible School, where she loved providing "Lilly Dilly's" to the children.
Bertha's love and commitment to the church were only rivaled by her love and commitment to her family and friends. More often than not, Bertha could be found driving her sister on errands in her Kia Soul, volunteering with senior citizen organizations, making food for the church, picking up her little nieces and nephews from school - to drive them to McDonald's or Dairy Queen, or extending her love and support to anyone in need.
Of all her pastimes, Bertha loved to play bingo. She played bingo weekly with her sister, Pollie, and her friend, Dorothy Sands. She even traveled over 1,000 miles to Washing ton, DC, once to play Super Bingo with her sister, Betty.
In October 2020, Bertha moved to New York to live with her daughter, Lisa, and son-in law, Dedrick, after her health began to fail. Despite the challenges, she persevered and fought through many health scares along the way. Her spirit throughout these challenges was a testament to her determination, resilience, and strength. She was never alone while fighting her health battles. Not a second went by that Bertha was not showered with love, tended to with care, and reminded every day of how much she was loved. Bertha spent every day blanketed in love from her family and friends until God called her home on September 8, 2023.