Donna Angela Smith “Angel” of Monterey, LA and more recently Springfield, MO passed away Friday August 22 at Cox South Hospital after a sudden and unexpected illness. She was 62 years old.

Born January 18^th 1963 to Oval Charles “Rick” Miller and Lela Crook Miller in Eudora, Arkansas, she spent most of her young life growing up in West Carroll Parish. She had planned to study aviation at NLU but plans changed when she met and married Mike Smith with whom she shared 15 wonderful years of marriage before his untimely death. They shared one daughter, Taylor Mariah, and one grandson, Michael “Kade”.  In her later adult life, she worked in the automotive sales and service industry before making a career as a Pipeline Oiler for the International Union of Operating Engineers. Its rumored she could outwork most men. Finally, she retired and became a stay-at-home Grandma, her most favorite job of all.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Michael Derain Smith; lifelong friend and spouse, Joann Bourgeois; parents, O.C. and Lela Miller; brothers, John Robert Miller and Jackie Lee Miller; sisters, Ada Barbara Miller O’Fallon, Linda Sue Miller Clark, and Winnie Kay Miller Stokes.

She is survived by her daughter, son in law, and grandson, Taylor, Blake, & Kade Garrison; brother, Charles Edward “Buster” Miller; sisters, Lela Ann Miller Ashley, Peggy Sue Miller Bolding, and Helen Louise Miller Hert; & numerous other dear relatives and friends.

Angel lived a life marked by quiet resilience. She suffered many hardships but also celebrated great success. She enjoyed cold beer, smooth whiskey, a good pack of Marlboros, sunshine in the summertime, the windows down with music loud on a gravel road, any day on or next to any body of water, going to baseball games, discovering the best restaurants in town, and never missed the chance to babysit her redheaded grandson, whom she affectionately called “copperhead”. She was hard-working and hard-headed. She loved fiercely and never met a stranger. Her legacy lives on in the lives she touched, and will be deeply missed.

A small memorial service will be held at Locust Grove Methodist Church fellowship hall outside of Oak Grove, La on Saturday September 20^th at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you pick your favorite act of kindness to pay it forward instead.