Miss Sara Owen Etheridge, age 81, of South Smith Street in Sandersville, peacefully died at her home Sunday, January 17, 2021. A family-only graveside funeral service will be held in the Brownwood Cemetery in Sandersville. A public celebration of Miss Etheridge’s life will be held at a later date.
Miss Etheridge was born in Gordon and reared in Sandersville, the daughter of the late Owen Erwin Etheridge and the late Lora Parker Etheridge. She was a graduate of the Sandersville High School, where she excelled in academics and music, serving as a drum major in the marching band. Following high school, Ms. Etheridge attended Stephens Junior College for ladies in Missouri and Florida State University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Music. She began a career in education, teaching elementary school in Winter Park, Florida for over 20 years. During her career, Ms. Etheridge attended Rollings College, where she received a masters in counseling. Following her love of academics and religion, Ms. Etheridge also attended Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where she received a Master of Divinity. She returned to Sandersville to be near family and became an active member of First Baptist Church of Sandersville where she was a former member of the church choir and served as an adult Sunday school teacher. Ms. Etheridge was a member of the Sorosis Club, the Sandersville Music Club, and a lifetime member of MENSA, a scholastic society. She cherished her time spent in Israel, where she worked and studied. She possessed a great love for her cats and devoted much of her time to rescuing those that were unwanted.
Survivors include her siblings, Lora Barbara E. Newsom and her husband Strick and Owen E. Etheridge Jr. all of Sandersville; nieces and nephews, Lora Barbara B. Lemmon and her husband Brett and Elizabeth Stanley B. Congo and her husband Paul all of Gulfport, Florida, Shannon Elizabeth E. Whitten of Sandersville, Mary Rebecca Etheridge of Saint Simons and Nathan Stillman Owen Etheridge of Madison; and great nieces and nephews.
Donations may be made the BrookHill Animal Rehab at P.O. Box 894, Sandersville, Georgia 31082.
May and Smith Funeral Directors is in charge of these arrangements.