Loretta A. Miller

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Loretta Anne “Lorrie” Miller, 65, of Winter Haven, Florida, passed away Friday, December 21, 2012, at her home, from heart failure.

Born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts on July 6, 1947 to John Robert and Anna Gertrude Thull, Lorrie grew up in Springfield, Vermont. She graduated from Springfield High School in 1965 and went on to earn an associate degree in business from Northampton Commercial College in Massachusetts.

She met her husband, Dave, in 1965 and was married on July 12, 1969, honeymooning in Cape Cod. Lorrie and Dave moved to Springfield, Massachusetts, where she began her 40-year career as a travel consultant. Lorrie quickly developed a passion for cruising and made it her specialty, taking more than 100 cruises since 1970. She earned professional certifications as a Certified Travel Consultant and Accredited Cruise Counselor.

She moved to Winter Haven in 1978 with her husband and son, purchasing a house on the same street as her mother, who had moved to Florida a few years prior. She was an active parishioner of St. Matthew’s Catholic Church and a member of the Women’s Club.

In addition to church and working as a travel consultant, she made numerous friends during her time working at local flower shops and a women’s gym. It was these friends and family that she cherished most in life.

Lorrie is survived by her husband, Dave; her son and daughter-in-law, Rob and Leslie; her grandsons, Drew and Dexter; her aunt, Marge; her aunt, Theresa, and uncle, Arnold; and her cousins, Peter, Cindy, Mary-Ellen, “Bunny,” Earl, Cathy, Eileen, Suzie, Terri, Ed, Jim, Mike, Debbie and Lynn.

A memorial service will be held at St. Matthew Catholic Church on Thursday, January 3, 2013, at 9:00 a.m. with a reception following the memorial.