Sara Turlington Womble

Sara Turlington Womble, of Lillington, NC arrived at her home in glory on the evening of December 7th, a few hours before her 90th birthday.  She was born December 8th, 1928 to Ila and Fred Turlington, the oldest of three children.  Sara attended Erwin High School and completed her high school education at Campbell, when it was Buies Creek Academy.  She attended Campbell Junior College, then graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1949, with a BA degree in English.  Her first teaching job was at Anderson Creek High School where some of her students were older than she!  Around this same time, her cousin introduced her to a handsome young man, Ray Womble, Sr., who was working in his father's hardware store.  It wasn't long before they fell in love and were married.  Sara stopped teaching school and worked part time keeping books for Ray while they raised their four children.  In 1977, Sara went back to school, along with her daughter Donna and together they pursued Master's Degrees in Special Education at North Carolina Central University, after which she resumed teaching for several years at Shawtown School in Lillington.

Sara's greatest treasure was her family.  She was relentlessly supportive and always believed and prayed fervently for the best outcomes for those she loved.  She didn't spend a lot of time dwelling on problems but preferred to pursue solutions.  Her pastimes included playing golf, watching golf, especially Tiger Woods, and solving puzzles, games and other mind stretching challenges.  Her most enjoyable activity was teaching her beloved Sunday School class which she has faithfully done for twenty-four years, her class named in her honor.  She savored every moment spent preparing her lessons, learning about and growing in Jesus, and serving by sharing God's Word.  In recent weeks when she needed assistance to get to church, her children would sometimes accompany her, writing her teaching notes on the blackboard, which she was quick to check and correct if they made any punctuation or spelling errors!  She liked things done in her special way, took a firm stand on her position when she believed she was right, and lived her life confidently, with a straight forward sense of humor and resolve.  She often said she wanted to teach her Sunday School class until the Lord took her home and she did just that, her last effort only two weeks before her passing.  According to II Corinthians 5:6-8, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, and according to Psalm 16:11, in the presence of the Lord is fullness of joy.  What a wonderful and exciting truth!  We know that Sara sees fully what she has believed...'tis so sweet to trust in Jesus.

Her greatest love was her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  She knew beyond any doubt where she was going when she left this world and she longed for, as she put it, the green grass of her heavenly home and seeing her loved ones who had gone before her.  She adamantly contended that she didn't want anything or anyone to deter or delay her entrance into heaven.

The family is grateful to many wonderful friends and especially for the devoted and loving caregivers who have been a constant blessing:  Gloria Price, Sue Bethea, Joyce Kelly, Chris Hendges, and Timmy Wheeler.

A celebration of her life will be held at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, December 11th at the Lillington Bpatist Church with Reverend Daniel Selman officiating.  The family will receive friends from  12:00 - 1:45 pm in the church fellowship hall, prior to the service; and other times at Sara's home.

Sara is survived by her four children: Donna Anne Womble Gill (Guy) of Atlanta, Ray Halford Womble Jr. (Jan) of Lillington, Fred Michael Womble (Lisa) of Elizabeth City, and Lisa Catherine Womble Adcock (Will) of Lillington.  Also surviving are nine grandchildren: Jennifer Gill Ray (David), Ray Halford Womble (Tripp) III, Brittany Taylor Womble, Justin Douglas Gill (Jen), Catherine Gill Popps (Steven), Lesley Frances Womble, Andrew Michael Womble, Rebecca Hipp Howerton (Miller), and William Gregory Hipp, Jr.  In addition there are seven great grandchildren: Olivia and Henry Ray, Georgia and Nicholas Popps, Jackson Gill, Ellison Howerton, and Mason Ramos.  She is also survived by a sister, Anne Lay of Raleigh and a brother, F.A. Turlington of Tarboro.

Memorials may be made to the Lillington Baptist Church or any Billy Graham charity.

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