Sara Floyd Flippin

Sara Floyd Flippin

Sara Floyd Flippin, age 86, of Milan, Tennessee died peacefully at home surrounded by a loving family on May 2, 2016. She was wife of William Jerry Flippin and mother of William (Bill) Jerry Flippin, Jr., Floyd Senter Flippin (Guinda), and Thomas Houston (Susan) Flippin and grandmother of Jacob Graves Flippin (Shay), Clint Kirby Flippin and Claire Elizabeth Flippin. She was preceded in death by her grandson William Jerry (Trey) Flippin, III.

Sara was the third child of Dr. William Oliver Floyd and Inez (Peggy) McGee Floyd and grew up in Nashville, Tennesee. She graduated from Gulf Park College with an associate degree in journalism in Gulfport, Mississippi and began employment at Vanderbilt University. There she met her husband on campus. They married in May 1953 and moved to Milan, Tennessee where she helped him form a law practice in his hometown.

Sara was delighted to move to Milan as she had wanted to live in a small town where she hoped her life would make a difference, and it did indeed. She reared her three sons in Milan, In Cub Scouts, she was a den mother. In vacation bible school, she was always a teacher. In Little League and Babe Ruth League, she could be found working the concession stand. In track, she helped transport the team to meets. In football, she never missed a game while her sons played. At First United Methodist Church, she taught Sunday School for 60 years with 50 of those years being in a class (Forum Class) she helped form. She also taught a "manners class" for elementary school girls at the church.

In the community, Sara helped form the Mustard Seed ministry, volunteered there for over 30 years and served on the board of directors. She served on the Milan School Board, Milan YMCA Board, and Milan Library Board for several years each. At the Milan Library, she taught summer writing camps for middle school students. For these and other community services, she was recognized by the Milan Chamber of Commerce in 2002 as Woman of the Year.

Outside of the community, she led volunteer mission trips to meet the needs of hurting people in eastern Kentucky (Redbird Mission). She also served on teams with the United Methodist Volunteers in Missions in the Netherland Antilles, Honduras, Estonia, Russia, and Zimbabwe.

Sara continued to serve others in her death by donating her earthly body to Vanderbilt Medical School to aid research that would benefit others. Vanderbilt has already confirmed that they are planning to include her body in a study of pacemaker impacts on the remainder of the body. Her life and her death have made a difference.

Visitation will be from 1 pm to 2 pm on Saturday (May 7) at First United Methodist Church, 2000 Jones Blvd, Milan, Tennessee. The celebration of life service will follow at 2 pm. The family requests that those wishing to make a memorial contribution consider the Milan Mustard Seed, 2027 South Second Street, Milan, Tennessee 38358 or First United Methodist Church, 2000 Jones Boulevard, Milan, Tennessee 38358.