Sammie M. Harrington

Sammie Miller Harrington, 86, passed away in Maryville, Tennessee, on Monday, August 11, 2025. She was born on 1/8/1939 to parents Leo Bernard Miller and Dartha Norton Miller. She was the middle of seven children and lived and worked on the family farm in Grady County, GA, until adulthood. She was preceded in death by her parents and five of her siblings: Olan, Janette, Ronnie, Gloria Jean, and Jessie. She was also predeceased by sisters-in-law Umeko Ito Miller and Gloria Stokes Miller. She is survived by brother Joe Miller, Jessie's widow Jenifer Clay Miller, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Sammie is also survived by one son, Michael Lee Harrington, and his son Marshall Scott Harrington. After retiring in 2001, she settled in Maryville, Tennessee, located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, where she had always planned to spend her senior years. Michael and his family lived in a nearby town, and she spent many happy hours as daytime caregiver for her beloved grandson for a few wonderful years.

Sammie had spent a large portion of her adulthood in Miami, Florida, where she was employed for 14 years in the banking industry. After much thought, reflection, and planning, she resigned as Administrative Officer to the Chairman & CEO of what was then SunTrust Banks in order to pursue another lifelong goal. In 1989, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from Barry University in Miami Shores and was inducted into the Alpha Chi National Honor Society and granted membership in the Barry University Alumni Association. She also completed advanced levels of H&R Block tax preparation courses and worked evening shifts at H&R Block for several years.

She established Accounting & Business Services at a time in history when PCs were becoming mainstream. She automated the accounting system for her major client and assisted other clients in establishing the type of business entity most advantageous to their operation.

After several years of self-employment, she sold her business and applied for reinstatement in the federal civil service system. She was soon offered a position as associate National Bank Examiner by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to fill a vacancy in Jackson, Mississippi. She spent the last eight years of her career traveling with a bank examining team whose mission was to ensure that their assigned banks were properly managing risks and complying with all applicable banking regulations. During her retirement years, Sammie continued to immerse herself in challenging activities. She completed the required training and became a certified foster home for the Florence Crittenton Agency. She also volunteered in numerous areas of the Blount Memorial Hospital. In addition, she was active in programs hosted by the local Senior Center, which included the Maryville Chapter of the AARP, where she served as a member of the board.

She also became proficient with Ancestry.com and spent major time at the Blount County Public Library researching and documenting her maternal and paternal ancestors back to the 1700s. Since library staff and facilities had been indispensable in these endeavors, she showed her appreciation by becoming a lifetime member of Friends of the Library.

The Grady County Museum & History Center in her hometown of Cairo, Georgia, accepted numerous historical items that she offered, including a history of farming in the 1940s and early 1950s when the work was done almost entirely by manual labor and a sturdy mule. She was also happy to find a home for some very old family pictures dating back to the mid-1800s, all of whom had Grady County ties. She was also pleased to contribute the final editions of both the Sears Roebuck and J. C. Penney "big book" catalogs. Other contributions included a beautiful hand-stitched quilt made by her mother in the 1950s, along with her mother's embroidered handiwork from the same period.

Her enthusiasm over recording family history for posterity helped prompt others in her friend circle to record their own memories. She was pleased and honored when asked to edit and critique their writing efforts.

Sammie requested that there be no funeral service. She hoped her lifetime advocacy for gender equality, social justice, and a strong work ethic will help make the world a better place for all people. Condolences may be shared at www.SmithFuneralandCremation.com. Smith Funeral and Cremation Service, Maryville, is servicing the family at this time.