Funeral services for Marinella Miller Haygood will be held 2:00 PM Sunday, December 6, 2015, at the First Baptist Church of Rosenberg, 1117 First Street, Rosenberg, TX 77471, with Dr. John Reid officiating. Burial will follow at Davis-Greenlawn Cemetery, Rosenberg, TX. Visitation precedes the service at the church from 1:00-2:00 PM.

Serving as pallbearers are grandsons, Steven, Chris, Jordan, Joshua, and Brandon. Other pallbearers are Dennis Keprta, Bill Witt, Jim Gutowsky, and Earl Welch.

She was born Eithel Marinella Miller on November 18, 1926, in Cromwell County, Mt. Zion Community, Kentucky, to Urbin and Alma Miller. She died November 25, 2015, in Richmond, TX. She was raised on their farm near Beaver Dam, Kentucky, and spent her later teenage years in Searcy, Arkansas. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Arkansas State College and moved to Rosenberg for a teaching position, where she met James Richard "Dick" Haygood. They were married for 53 years before his passing in 2009. Marinella taught for 27+ years and built a strong art program at Lamar CISD High School. She continued inspiring young artists with private lessons. She was an ambassador for the arts, actively involved in the Visual Art Council. She was also a trained alto vocalist and contributed many years as a singer in the sanctuary choir of the First Baptist Church of Rosenberg.

Marinella was preceded in death by her parents Urbin and Alma Miller; her husband, Dick Haygood; and her siblings, Nancy Patterson, Myron Miller, Reda Gatlin, Robert Miller, and Donald Miller.

She is survived by her children and grandchildren, Steve Haygood and his wife Jody and his children, Steven and Danielle; Rusty Haygood and his wife Lisa and their children, Chris and his wife Jennifer, and their son Rowan, Jordan, Joshua, Brandon, and Brooke; Marc Haygood and his wife Laura and daughter Ryan Gray; Susy and her husband John Webb and their daughters Avery and Sydney. Marinella was also survived by her siblings, Martha Miller, Alice Terrell and her husband Palmer, Namon Miller, Frank Miller and his wife Bonnie; her brother-in-laws Dick Gatlin and JD Patterson, sister-in-law Marge Miller and numerous nieces and nephews.

Marinella was a loving wife, endearing mother and grandmother, and inspiring teacher. She will be remembered for her unending love and dedication for her family, her beautiful landscape and still-life paintings, her numerous poems and stories, and her incredible green thumb.

In lieu of flowers, her family requests a love offering be sent in her name for Art Scholarships to be given to Lamar CISD students, a fund which is being set up by the family.

Condolence messages may be written for the Haygood family at www.garmanycarden.com.

Services are under the direction of Garmany & Carden Funeral Directors, 1201 Fourth Street, Rosenberg, TX 77471 (281)342-4671.