SYLVIA MILLER SPAIN
Sylvia Miller Spain, 85, of Richmond MO, died December 21, 2012, at Shirkey's Nursing Home, from complications of diabetes. Sylvia was born on July 15, 1927 in Galveston, Texas. The daughter of Steven Miller and Olga Batmanis Miller, both are of Greek descent and immigrated to the United States from Turkey in 1907. She married Julius Merle Spain of Jacksonville, Texas, August 26, 1961. Julius passed away September 20, 2010 from cancer. They were married 49 years. She was also preceded in death by her two brothers, Theodore Steven Miller and Pete Steven Miller, his wife Joan, and a brother-in-law, Johnny Radovich.
Due to her parents' lack of English, neither Sylvia nor her sister Ethel could speak English when they started 1st grade. They both later graduated from Ball High School in Galveston Texas in 1944 at the top of their class. After graduating, Sylvia worked as a secretary for the Corp of Engineers from 1944 to 1948, then later as a secretary for the law Firm of Levy and Levy from 1948 to 1961. Upon her marriage to Julius, she moved to his farm in Corning Arkansas where they planted crops, raised cattle and played with horses. In 1975 they moved to Poplar Bluff Missouri and started their own real-estate company, specializing in farms. Their golden years were spent in Springfield Missouri and then later Richmond Missouri where they could be closer to their son and daughter. Survivors include: one son, William Wesley Spain and his wife Debbie of Gladstone Missouri and one daughter, Becky Lynn Treccariche of Richmond, two sisters, Ethel Miller Radovich of Dallas Texas and Elizabeth Miller Wright and her husband Donald of Santa Fe, Texas, along with many nephews and nieces. Also surviving is a very dear friend, Wanda Hayes of Corning Arkansas. The other family Sylvia is leaving behind is the staff and patients at Shirkey's. She loved them just as much as they loved her. The family can never thank them enough for their caring and love. And last but certainly not least, she leaves behind her Grand-Dogs, Miles and Daisy.

Services will be held at the Methodist Church in Richmond Missouri at 1pm Sunday December 23. Graveside services will be at 10am Monday December 24th at the Corning Cemetery in Corning Arkansas.