Sara Catherine Jackson Thomas

THOMAS, Sara Catherine Jackson, wife and best friend to Richard J. Thomas; mother and hero to Sally Thomas Raderer, Adam Raderer and Stacy Thomas; "Bam" to Max, Cary, Cate, Ross and Claire; and friend to everyone she met, died peacefully in Richmond, Virginia, on January 13, 2021. Sara was a fighter, fueled by her strong faith, steadfast belief that there is goodness in all of us and her commitment to sharing that goodness whenever she had the chance. With dear friend and caregiver, Janet Seymour by her side, Sara fought a 13-year battle with Alzheimer's, far surpassing expectations against such a cruel disease. Throughout her life, Sara's daughters heard her advice: "Be careful how you are as a young person because it sticks." Sara chose to live her entire life with grace, generosity and a smile from her heart that "stuck" with her and with us all.

Sara's remarkable heart was a perfect complement to her razor-sharp wit and intellect. She had an insatiable appetite for knowledge and literature—from academic enrichment to what she called "historical novels," best enjoyed under an umbrella at North Myrtle Beach. She and Rich made a great team—Rich aced their life's math and engineering challenges, while Sara was the communication guru, effortlessly returning his calls from the other room inquiring, "Hey Sara, How do you spell _?" Words were her specialty—she had an astonishing vocabulary, could finish crossword puzzles without cheating, and loved to tuck love notes into her family's lunchboxes—sometimes right between the layers of bread for an extra surprise.

From an early age, Sara's teachers recognized her as something special and that her intellectual ability belied her chronological age. She skipped a grade, completed high school a year earlier than her peers and went on to graduate High Point University with a B.A. in English and University of North Carolina- Greensboro with a master's degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology. From there, she dedicated her life to learning, both as a lifelong student herself and as a beloved teacher to children of all ages. While still in her twenties, she founded and directed PATH school, a school for elementary students with speech and language differences caused by deafness and hearing difficulties. Later, Sara was active in the PTA, earning the honor of lifelong membership after years of above-and-beyond service. She was also a proud member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an honor society for educators.

While Sara was a rule follower within the education walls, she was a rule breaker outside. While her peers were settling down, Sara was taking off—quite literally. She learned to fly a plane solo, simply because she wanted to and believed she could. When society told her to settle down, Sara held on to her independence and held out for the love of her life, Rich. Sara broke the rules not just because she could, but in demonstration of being true to yourself and living your best life.

Sara taught us how to love—unconditionally, spontaneously and vulnerably. She often said, "You get what you give," so it's no wonder she was surrounded by friends wherever she went. Whether trying to make it out of the grocery store on a random Tuesday or out of church on Sunday, saying goodbye was always a challenge with Sara in tow. She knew everyone, and if there was someone she didn't know, she had to correct that. Sara didn't know how to walk past the opportunity to make a friend, offer help, or share the love that made her shine. But above all, Sara could find and feel the good and light in everything. So as she would wish, we rejoice that Sara is with God; her sisters, Ann and Nancy; and her mother and father, Sallie and Dawson. We will forever be grateful for the light Sara shared with us all.

We give thanks to the staff of Our Lady of Hope and Janet Seymour for their unending love and care of Sara.

Memories of Sara's spirit can be shared with the family at bliley's.com. Plans for a celebration of her life will be shared at a later date.