Sarah Miller Smith

Born Sarah Rebecca Miller, July 24, 1929, to Ray D. and Ruth E. Miller and died at the age of 97 on 8/24/2026. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, Paul C. Smith, of 69 years, her in-laws Chester A. Smith and Elizabeth L. Smith, her sister-in-law Elizabeth S. Stein. She is survived by daughters Leslie Smith, and Stephanie Johnston (Jeff), her four grandchildren Anne Shukwit (Adam), Elizabeth Crill (Kevin), Christine Nidiffer (Marcus) and Thomas Johnston. She is also survived by five great grandchildren, Oliver and Piper Shukwit, Reece and Ellie Nidiffer and Miller Crill, her niece Libby Klein (Dennis), nephew David Stein, and cousin Dr. Laurel Flentye.

Sarah was a 1947 graduate of North High School. She earned her Bachelor’s in Dance and Physical Education in 1951, Master’s in Faculty of Special Services in 1953 and Ph.D. Sociology and Psychology in 1978 from The Ohio State University. She was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority.

Sarah remained a true and loyal buckeye ever since becoming the first female cheerleader her freshman year at the university, 1947. Not only did she help found the Ohio State Cheerleading Society, but she was a former judge of the Cheer Squad and Brutus Buckeye for many years. She and her husband established an endowment to support current cheerleaders showing academic excellence and financial need at Ohio State. She was a member of the President’s Club, Buckeye Club, 1988 Society, Women and Philanthropy. Award winner of the Ohio State Alumni Association Ralph Davenport Mershon Award for sustained leadership and generous contribution to the University, awarded the Richard Delaney Athletic Department award for developing Cheerleading as an OSU Varsity sport. Chair of the OSU Class of 1951 reunion.

Sarah was a Guidance Counselor at Upper Arlington’s Jones Middle School and Hastings Middle school for 22 years. For many years she taught “Junior Dance” to the Upper Arlington and Bexley middle schoolers. She retired from the Upper Arlington School System and opened her own travel agency. At The Village Travel House she led numerous tours to Europe, specializing in Italy. She was cited in Travel and Leisure as one of the ten travel agents to trust. She even lived in Florence for one summer and became a consultant for the Italian Government Tourist Board out of Rome. After The Village Travel House closed, she became a travel consultant into her late 80’s.

She had many other committee, civic and leadership involvement, such as International Fashion Group, New York Fashion Group, Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus Symphony, Columbus Metropolitan Club, Broadway’s summer stock company, Kenley Players, as a principal dancer, The Childhood League – Merry Go Round Chairman and Board V member. Sarah also was the directing choreographer for Vaud-Villities for 28 years. Avid supporter of the Ohio State’s Men’s varsity tennis team.

Whatever Sarah was involved in, you could expect it done very well, with great pride and impeccably dressed. Whether hosting a party, researching a trip for friends to Europe, spending time with good friends, or chaperoning a school trip to Kings Island, it was of the utmost importance that it be the best. Indian Lake was home away from home for her and family since she was a small child. Driving the “old way” to the lake brought great joy as did “Hoopla” (Sandy Beach amusement park) and watching the boats on the lake. With endless determination she had all her life, she did not pass without giving it a good fight.

Calling hours will be at Schoedinger Northwest, 1740 Zollinger Rd, Columbus, OH 43221, Wednesday, September 2, 2026, from 4 to 7 pm.

Those who wish may contribute in memory of Sarah, to the Paul and Sarah Smith Scholarship Fund, 606766 by giving online at, Give to OSU (https://giveto.osu.edu/makeagift/support?Source_Code=AGAG-OTH-S-ON-WaystoGive) or send a check, made payable to The Ohio State University, to the Ohio State Foundation, PO Box 736096, Chicago, IL 60673-6096. Reference fund 606766 in the memo of the check.