Mia Lena Etchberger joined her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ in Heaven on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
Born July 22, 1953, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama to Sara Ruth (Hoge) Smith and Grover Cecil Smith, she was raised in Silver Spring, MD, graduated from Wheaton High School in 1971. She moved to Panama City in 1972 and worked at Captain Anderson’s as a set-up girl, and was a room cleaner at her mom’s motel, Lookout Apts., while attending Gulf Coast College for an AA in Business. In 1974, she joyfully asked Jesus to be her Savior and went to Southeastern Bible College in Lakeland, FL, graduating with a B.S. in Bible/Christian Education. She then served as a missionary assistant in Athens, Greece, at the Ministerial Training Center for Greece, the Middle East, and North Africa. Upon her return, she attended Florida State University and received a B.S. in Elementary Education and taught at Waller and Lucille Moore Elementary Schools. In 1991, she received her Master’s Degree in Education from FSU/PC. During her teaching career, she received both Elementary Teacher of the Year (Waller), and Bay District Science Council’s Outstanding Elementary Science Teacher of the Year.
She taught Sunday School for many years, and also volunteered with the Clothing Closet Ministry at First Baptist Church-P.C. The most influential and life-changing experience she ever had was “Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God” by Henry Blackaby.
She is preceded in death by her father, Grover C. Smith; her mother, Sara Ruth; and her brother Mitchell Smith.
She is survived by her faithful and dear husband Russell; daughter Jessica (Cliff) Sweet and their daughter, Emma Jane Sweet; son Henry (Christina) Etchberger and their sons David and Benjamin serving in the U.S.Army; sister-in-law Martha Smith and family of Houston, TX, nieces Marleeta Escobar and Marlaina Smith; sister Marqueta (Tom), nephew Ford (Melissa) Seeuws and their children Satya and Rohan.
Mia’s greatest loves were Jesus, her family, autumn in the mountains, a cool breeze, a brisk walk, and all encounters with God. She loved the life she had here and looked forward to the one she has now; being in Heaven and seeing Jesus at last!
The family will receive friends from 9:00 until 10:00 AM on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at Heritage Funeral Home, Panama City. A service will follow with Pastor David Fiatt.
Services will also be conducted at 2:00 PM Sunday, March 23, 2025, at White Hall United Methodist Church, 34387 US Hwy 11, Valley Head, AL 35989 with Pastor Donald Douthit officiating. Interment will follow immediately following the service in White Hall cemetery, 5114 Greenhill Blvd, NW, Fort Payne, AL 35968.
Wilson Funeral Home and Crematory of Fort Payne is making the announcement for Heritage Funeral Home of Panama City, Florida.
Online condolence can be sent to the family via our website at www.heritagefhllc.com
