Valley County, IDGenWeb Project | |
Sara Mae Willey died peacefully at her home on the family ranch near McCall on Aug. 30, 2012.
Services will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, at the Donnelly Bible Church in Donnelly under the direction of the Heikkila Funeral Chapel, McCall.
Interment will follow at the Bell/Spink Cemetery. There will be a luncheon served at the church.
She was born Feb. 3, 1929, the youngest of three children, to Ruth Zink Yearwood and Benjamin Franklin Yearwood in Plainview, Texas.
When Sara was less than a year old, her father deserted the family and they moved to Durango, Colo., to be near Ruth’s family.
In 1934, Ruth married Herman Duncan whom she met while cooking in a logging camp. Sara now had a real dad who loved and cared for her. A year later her baby brother, George, completed the family.
The Duncans moved from Colorado to Vale, Ore., where they farmed and then in 1946, they bought a farm near McCall.
Sara met her neighbor and future husband by catching his wayward team of horses for him. She married Hugh Willey on April 26, 1947.
Shortly after marrying, Hugh and Sara bought the homestead from his parents. They were quite a team with Hugh working in the timber and Sara milking cows, separating cream, feeding hogs, and chickens while raising their three children.
They worked hard, were thrifty, and loved each other and their family. They were content and happy. Hugh died in 2003 shortly before their 56th anniversary.
Sara was a long-time member of the Donnelly Bible Church. She believed that a Christian could only do great things for the Lord if they were willing to do small things for their neighbors.
She was a member of a rural women’s club for over 60 years called the “Happy Hour Club.” When teased about the name she would say, “Happy beats Cranky every time”.
Sara worked for several years as a hot lunch cook for the McCall Donnelly High School. She made many lasting friendships with the students she served.
Sara loved her livestock, dogs, garden, cooking, and friends. Most of all she loved her family, especially her grandchildren.
Her parents, her two brothers, Lee and Leonard, and her husband Hugh preceded her in death.
She is survived by her son Bill (Nancy) Willey of McCall, her two daughters Eva (Ed) Scribner of Blackfoot, Claudie (Dave) Allen of Pocatello, seven grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, her brother George (Linda) Duncan of McCall, numerous nieces and nephews and her sister-in-law Mary McDougal Willis of Mesa, Ariz.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to your favorite charity.
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