Sarah Ann Crabtree

Sarah Ann Dunn Crabtree was born on the Dunn Farm in Birdell, Arkansas on February 10, 1935, to the late Douglas Dunn and Mary Dunn. She was told that she was born in the middle of a terrible snowstorm and always felt that was why she might be cold-natured. She was a devout and dedicated Christian woman of the Church of Christ faith. She always held strong to God’s Word and the Word being rightly divided. She studied from her Bible daily.

Sarah was a homemaker and talented cook. She was best known for being a farmer and always wanted to be recognized as a hardworking farm woman. She had the highest pride in her Dunn family heritage of Randolph County. She and her family were awarded the Arkansas Century Farm in 2012 in Batesville, Arkansas, where her Great Great Grandmother (Martha) and Great Grandfather (Martha’s son, John) had acquired the homestead deed in 1857 for the new way of life for many generations.

Sarah graduated from Sloan Hendrix High School in 1952 as Valedictorian of her class. She was an avid basketball player, receiving All Conference credit in her Senior year. Sarah met the love of her life in grade school at Sloan Hendrix. A skinny boy named AJ knew she had a liking for him when he pushed her over on her bike on the playground and was taken to the principal’s office and was later told that there was a mistake—Sarah had told the staff that AJ was trying to catch her, not push her over. A lifetime of 46 years of marriage took place after their engagement and marriage in 1953.

Sarah and AJ started a family after spending time in Germany during AJ’s service in the Army. Their journey back to the US lead them to Macon, Georgia where they began raising two sons. In 1977 Sarah and AJ moved to the family farm to begin a next generation of farming after the declining health of Sarah’s parents. Together they raised cattle and managed a large garden that Sarah enjoyed working and canning vegetables. She most enjoyed working and nurturing her beautiful flower gardens.

Sarah was an exceptional caregiver, taking care of many of her aunts and uncles, her husband’s parents, as well as her husband, when declining health issues arose. Sarah always visited the Randolph County Nursing Home throughout the years and attended church services there. With her show of attention at the nursing home, she was asked to serve on the Board of Governors in 1987, serving for 13 years. She was most known for helping to create a long-term retirement plan for the dedicated employees of the Randolph County Nursing Home, as well as a new expansion of the Randolph Home facility for the growing need of additional residential care in Pocahontas. Sarah loved her communities, and the people, especially all of the families in the Point on Eleven Point River. She was always showing up on a new family’s doorstep to welcome them and to know them as a neighbor.

Sarah joined the Lord on January 28, 2026, surrounded by family members. She was preceded in death by her parents, Douglas Dunn and Mary (Pettyjohn) Dunn; husband, AJ Crabtree; sister, Mary Douglas Hurn; brother-in-law, Jetty Bill Hurn; and niece, Barbara Forrest.

She is survived by two sons, Jay (Jeri) Crabtree of Protem, MO, and Clay (Rhonda) Crabtree of Pocahontas, AR; two grandsons, Chris Crabtree of California, and Connor Crabtree of Arizona; a granddaughter, Carlie Crabtree of Pocahontas, AR; a nephew, Doug (Michelle) Hurn of Waxahachie, TX; great nieces and great nephew; great great nephews; and Dunn cousins.

Visitation for family and friends will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2026, from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. at McNabb Funeral Home in Pocahontas.

Funeral Service directly following at 10:00 a.m. with Josh Dement officiating. A private burial will follow in the Dunn Cemetery at Birdell, AR.

Pallbearers will be Clay Crabtree, Jay Crabtree, Gene Ponder, Jerry Austin, Branden Wedding, Paul Wicker, and Robby Harpole.

Our family gratitude is extended to Dr. Drew Dawson, the numerous nurses and staff at the Randolph County Nursing Home, and staff of Legacy Hospice, for their love and exceptional care for Sarah.