Sarah Kristine Running

Sarah Kristine (Holleque) Running, 52, died Nov. 21, 2008, at home in Fleetwood.

Sarah was the wife of Timothy Running for 27 years.

Born Feb. 9, 1956, in LaCrosse, Wisc., she was a daughter Esther Holleque, Fargo, N.D.; and the late Rev. Richard Holleque.

Sarah was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Fleetwood, where she served as parish administrator until June 2008.

Sarah graduated from Fargo South High School in 1974 and earned her bachelor's degree in 1978 from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn.

While attending St. Olaf, Sarah played the violin in the college orchestra for two years, and then sang in the St. Olaf Choir for two years while under the direction of Kenneth Jennings.

Following college graduation, Sarah worked in the investment division at Fargo National Bank, North Dakota. While living in Fargo, Sarah played violin in the Fargo-Moorhead Civic Opera Company Orchestra, where she met her future husband.

Married in 1981, Sarah and Tim moved to Winona, Minn., for two years, then to Greeley, Colo., for a year, and then to Pennsylvania, where Tim was hired to be a faculty member at Kutztown University.

In each location, Sarah found employment, including the Hal Leonard Music Publishing Co., Winona; the office of student affairs at College of St. Teresa, Winona; secretary to the director of bands at University of Northern Colorado, Greeley; and H&R Block tax preparation in Fargo and Reading. Sarah also taught Kindermusik and served as parish administrator at Trinity Lutheran Church, Reading.

While living in Pennsylvania, Sarah played violin in area orchestras, including several seasons with the Schuylkill Orchestra, Pottsville, and assisting with the University Orchestra at Kutztown University.

In 1994, Sarah earned first place in the adult division of the Eastern Region National Association of Teachers of Singing Student Auditions at Columbia University, New York, while a student of Josepha Gayer in Philadelphia.

In 1996, Sarah sang the lead role of Anna in “The King and I,” a Fall Festival of the Arts production in Reading.

For more than 10 years, Sarah sang professionally as a member of the core ensemble with The Philadelphia Singers. In this capacity, Sarah was often featured as a soprano soloist, including the compact disc live recording titled “The Best of Christmas on Logan Square,” with The Philadelphia Singers, David Hayes, music director.

In April 2002, Sarah was asked to sing as a soloist with the University Orchestra at the Inaugural Concert celebrating the inauguration of Dr. F. Javier Cevallos as Kutztown University president.

On Dec. 15, 2002, Sarah sang as the soprano soloist with The Philadelphia Orchestra in a performance of Handel's “Messiah” in the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. Sarah also sang as soprano soloist with the Louisiana Orchestra in New Orleans; the Pennsylvania Sinfonia conducted by Allan Birney; the Fall Festival of the Arts in Reading, under the direction of Robert Page; and four solo performances with the Columbus (Ohio) Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Ronald Jenkins and Alessandro Siciliani.

In addition to her husband and mother, survivors include a son, Micah, Fleetwood; and a daughter, Kate, at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn.

Other survivors include two sisters and two brothers: Kathryn Holleque, Valley City, N.D.; Elizabeth Holleque, and her husband, Stan, Park Rapids, Minn.; Erik Holleque, and his wife, Mary, Hibbing, Minn.; and Peter Holleque, Nisswa, Minn.; and nephews and nieces.

Services will be Saturday at 11 a.m. in St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 117 E. Arch St., Fleetwood, PA 19522.

Contributions may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church at the above address in support of the relationship with partnering congregation in Bulongwa, Tanzania, a ministry in which Sarah actively participated and supported.