Martha Elizabeth Miller Sagstetter, known to her family and friends as Beth, passed away at her home in Georgetown, CO on June 10, 2024. She was born in Fremont, NE on May 3, 1947. Beth Sagstetter lived a life full of adventure, discovery and stewardship.

The child of a military officer, Beth resided in many places during her childhood, spending significant time in Nebraska, New Mexico and England, among other places. The oldest of five children, Beth was often referred to as a motherly figure by her younger siblings. She taught her siblings how to read, write, play chess, and think critically.

She graduated from Littleton High School in 1965 and with a curious mind and a knack for organizing information, she graduated from Metro State University in Denver, CO with a degree in Psychology. Her first job was working for the Denver Post as a researcher/reporter. She discovered the house that Golda Meir (the fourth Prime minister of Israel) lived in when she attended high school in Denver and also headed up the campaign to make the house a national monument. She went on to marry the love of her life, Bill Sagstetter, in April of 1976. Together, they contributed much to the preservation of history in Central and North America. hey founded Benchmark Publishing Inc, and wrote two genre-specific best sellers in The Mining Camps Speak (1998), and The Cliff Dwellings Speak (2010). They produced several documentaries about the West that aired on primetime television. Beth researched and wrote the scripts for one of their films, "The Mystery of Huajatolla," which went on to win a Special Award at the Aspen Arts Film Festival in 1978.

Beth had a special gift for thinking her way into the past and making sense of people's lives across time and space. Beth made significant contributions to the Telluride Blanket Project and along with her husband Bill, helped spur the creation of the "Stewards of the Blanket," a group of individuals dedicated to continuing research and preservation of the Telluride Blanket. In 2013, she helped spearhead the creation of the Santiago Mill Stewards, a group of volunteers working to provide information to the public at the Santiago Mill site and helping the U.S. Forest Service plan for future interpretive and educational opportunities.  After relocating to Georgetown, CO, Beth and Bill loving rehabilitated two condemned Victorian homes back into their original splendor.  After the passing of her beloved husband, Bill, in 2016, Beth continued their life's work in Georgetown. Beth was actively involved in a number of projects supporting the preservation and research of Cliff Dwellings and Ghost Towns as well as being an active member of Historic Georgetown, Inc. She enjoyed hiking with the Mountain Mama's and locals always looked forward to running into her on Friday nights when they gathered to start the weekend. Her commitment as a volunteer, a passionate historian and local legend will be missed by many.

Beth will be remembered for her grit, determination and indefatigability, for her joy and enthusiasm as a creative and a writer, for her chocolate chip cookies and love of jeeping, but most of all as a steward of the shared history which connects us all.

She is survived by her brothers, John Dennis Miller and Oki Miller of Escondido, CA and Argie James Miller and Juana Francisca Marte of Greenwood Lake, NY; nephews Cody Zuschlag of Annecy, France and Kail Zushlag of Corvallis, Oregon; sister-in-law Susan Knous, of Georgetown, CO and Susan's three children, Amanda Knous Cooper of Georgetown, CO, Andrea Knous Joens of Littleton, CO, and WIlliam Lee Knous, of Aurora, CO.

A celebration of Beth's life will take place on Saturday, August 24, 2024 at 2:00PM at the Hamill House Museum, 305 Argentine St. Georgetown, CO 80444. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Historic Georgetown, Inc , P.O. Box 667, Georgetown, CO 80444 in her name.