Sara Frances Crawford Jones, 82 LaFayette
Sara Frances Crawford Jones, of LaFayette, Ga., passed away Monday, Aug. 1, 2016. She was 82.
She was born Oct. 4, 1933, to the late Benjamin Sheram “Daddy Ben” Crawford and Jimmie Inez “Mama Jim” Robertson Crawford.
Also preceding Sara in death were her siblings, Robert Benjamin “Bob” Crawford, Betty Jane Crawford Collett and John M. “Johnny” Crawford Sr.
She graduated from LaFayette High School in 1950 where she was voted Miss LHS her junior year. She continued her education at UTC where she took business classes required by Daddy Ben, but had more interest in home economics classes that foreshadowed her heart to serve her family throughout her life.
Although Sara was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church, she acknowledged she didn’t come to know Jesus as Lord until she was nearly 40 years old. Her relationship with Jesus led her to become an avid student of the Bible, and this relationship also gave her the strength, wisdom and desire to encourage and support her two sons, husband and extended family through many peaks and valleys of life.
Although Sara very much liked her privacy and “alone time,” she loved people and welcomed the opportunity to share what Jesus had done, and was doing, in her life. While Sara exhibited a confident humility that grew over time, she had a serious stubborn streak and was not averse to occasionally intense theological debates. Her individualism manifested as early as third grade, when she identified with her teacher named Sara and decided to drop the “h” that had been on her certificate of birth.
Sara initially resisted her husband’s desire to rejoin the Air Force as a hospital commander when he was 46 and she was 42. However, she ultimately embraced the challenge and adventure of living in places that included Grand Forks, N.D., Portsmouth, N.H., Montgomery, Ala., Washington, D.C., Plattsburgh, N.Y., Omaha, Neb., and England. She enjoyed being a hostess and played a key role in her husband’s success in both the Air Force and his last occupational role as CEO of Hutcheson Medical Center.
Sara was an active member for several years with LaFayette Women’s Club, serving in various capacities, including president.
Earlier in life, she earned her private pilot’s license and enjoyed riding motorcycles with her husband (with her own motorcycle, of course). But her greatest joy came in serving, loving and enjoying good times with both her immediate family and the extended “Crawford clan.” She was affectionately known to her grandchildren, and even some great-grandchildren, as “Granny Sara.”
Survivors include: Her loving husband of 50 years, retired USAF Col./Dr. Robert T. “Bobby” Jones; sons, Dewey Wardlaw (Rebecca C. “Becky”) Hammond III of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Mattson “Matt” Sheram (Lori Lee) Hammond; sister, Evelyn C. Lipham of Gainesville, Fla.; stepdaughter, Kirby Jones (retired US Army Lt. Col. Ted, Jr.) Mataxis and sister-in-law, Donna Bigham Crawford of LaFayette; grandchildren and step grandchildren, US Army Capt. Daniel Dewey (Elizabeth) Hammond, Lauren Frances Hammond, Virginia Lee Hammond, Grayson Sheram (fiancé, Caraline Redberg) Hammond, Maria Lee Hammond, Elliana Faith Hammond, Stacey Whitlow, US Army Maj. Ted Mataxis III and Carson Mataxis; great-grandchildren, Mary Becca Hammond, Ruth Ham- mond, Joanna Hammond, Jacob Hammond, Kathryn Whitlow, Kodi Whitlow, Grace Mataxis and Graham Mataxis and several nieces and nephews.
Her life was a beacon of love shining from the Lord. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends who are comforted with the knowledge that Sara is now at peace and painfree with Jesus.
Visitation: Friday, Aug. 5, from 4-7 p.m. at Wallis-Wilbanks Funeral Home.
Funeral service: Saturday, Aug. 6, at 2 p.m. at LaFayette First United Methodist Church with Pastor David Autry, Pastor Randle Massingale and Todd Gaddis officiating.
Pallbearers: Henry Gilbert, Jimmy Ingram, Carlus Gann, Neal Florence, Robert Wardlaw and Dave Mason.
Burial: LaFayette City Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to LaFayette First United Methodist Church.
Online guestbook available at wallis-wilbanksfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements: Wallis-Wilbanks Funeral Home, LaFayette.