Letha O. Bieber, age 74, resident of Boonville, passed away December 16, 2020, with her husband by her side at University Hospital in Columbia, Missouri (MO). In a testament to their marriage, her husband of fifty years, Michael S. Bieber, was by her side. Always together, the best of friends till the end.
Letha was born on April 5, 1946, in Fayetteville, North Carolina (NC), to the late William Elrod Oswalt and Nadelia “Janie” Oswalt Mitchell. She was the eldest of four children, with three brothers, William, David, and John Robert. Letha graduated with honors from Winfield City High School, AL in 1964. In 1968, she graduated with summa cum laude honors from the University of Alabama. She was baptized into the Unity Baptist Church of Fayette, AL; in 1970, in that same church, Letha was married to her husband of 50 years, Mike Bieber. Continuing her education, she graduated with her Specialist Degree in Reading Education from Middle Tennessee State University in 1974.
A lifelong learner and avid reader, Letha always had a book by her side. Following her retirement from public education, she continued to share her passion of learning as a substitute teacher for special education classes; later she served as an adjunct professor for the local community college in Ottumwa, Iowa, teaching education classes in elementary reading. One of her many gifts to the world was her educator’s touch, impacting the lives of hundreds of children over the years. In her spare time, Letha enjoyed boating at the Lake of the Ozarks with her husband and sitting on the porch with friends watching the passing golf carts. She looked forward to family game night and loved a good game of Spite and Malice or Dominos, if cards weren’t handy. Full of alma mater pride, Letha could be heard throughout the neighborhood with her fight call, “Roll, Tide, Roll!”; her teacher’s voice could be heard for miles cheering the football team to victory.
A fifteen-year breast cancer survivor, Letha did her best to stay active. Whenever she could, she would attend fitness classes at the Senior Center and stay for lunch and afternoon activities with friends. And she was always good with technology and organization. From January 2000, until the time of her death, Letha served as the Administrative Assistant to her husband, the Marketing Director of TAMA USA.
She is survived by her husband Michael and their two children. Her son, Matthew, and his wife, Cristina, are both educators residing in Kodiak, Alaska. Her daughter, Cassandra “Sandi” Juliano, and her husband, Wayne, reside in Iberia, Missouri and are also both educators. Letha was very proud of her educator legacy and loved to brag of her family’s accomplishments. She is survived also by four grandchildren, Falaena, Fabien, Falen and Finn Juliano. She spent many Friday nights, in her favorite role as ‘Nana B,’ attending ball games, concerts and school plays. Finally, she is also survived by a stepsister, Ann Mitchell Christner (Dan) of Brighton, Michigan, and brothers William (Nelda) and David (Janice) of Fayette, Alabama. Letha was preceded in death by her youngest brother John Robert, her parents, stepbrother Jimmy Mitchell, and stepfather Rev. James Mitchell.
In the future, a service will be held when it is safer for friends and family to gather in celebration of Letha O. Bieber. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made in Letha’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.
Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Jude’s Research hospital. Online condolences may be left at: www.howardfh.com.
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