Sara Bennett Hills

1938 - 2022

Sara Bennett Hills
October 22, 1938 - August 23, 2022
Sara Bennett Hills, (83) passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 in San Francisco. She was the beloved wife of Austin E. Hills. An extraordinary mother and grandmother, she will be remembered for her vitality, intellectual curiosity and above all her devotion to the family.
She was born Sara Ann Larson in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, one of four siblings of the late Elmer G. Larson and Hilda (Mantsche) Larson. She is survived by her three siblings Leland, Alan and Gerold, by her three children, Oliver H. L. Bennett, Susan S. Bennett-Boucou and Paul S. Sednaoui, and nine grandchildren , Larson Bennett, Alice Bennett, Graham Bennett, Samantha Bennett, Oliver Bennett-Boucou, Thomas Bennett-Boucou, Felix Bennett-Boucou, Cosima Sednaoui and Sienna Sednaoui.
After graduating from Mills College with a degree in French she continued her studies of the language and culture of that country. Thereafter, she taught French to secondary school students in San Francisco where she lived until 1973 when the family relocated to London, England.
While living in London during the 1970's and 1980's she worked as an interior decorator and received assignments as an international photojournalist from Vogue, National Geographic and other periodicals. Always an intrepid traveler her assignments included extended trips to Yeman, Nepal and other exotic locations. Travel to emerging countries remained a lifelong fascination for her.
Sara returned to San Francisco and the Napa Valley in the 1990's with her young son Paul and quickly reconnected with many of her friends. It was one of these close friends, the renowned artist Ira Yeager, who reintroduced Sara to the man who would become the love of her life, Austin E. Hills. Together they share a passion for the arts, particularly the opera and SFMOMA, where she served as a member of MAC (Modern Arts Council).
They were married in 2010 and together they enjoyed many experiences and adventures as they traveled the World visiting India, Japan, China, Egypt, The Artic and Antartic, and most recently Greece.
However, above all else, Sara cherished spending time with her immediate and extended family whether in California or at one of the numerous Larson Family Reunions held at Black Butte Ranch in Sisters, Oregon. These were among her most precious memories and she was especially happy to be known as 'Grandma Sara' to her many nieces, nephews and their children.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, November 2 at the Swedenborgian Church, 3200 Washington Street at 1:15 PM to commemorate and celebrate her life.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.