Sara McKenzie died peacefully in her sleep at Horizon House in Seattle on February 21. Those who cared for her there remember her as ever-smiling and good-natured. She was 83 years old.
Sara was born in Evanston, IL. Over the course of her life, she also lived in Albuquerque, NM and Los Angeles, CA, as well as Mercer Island and Issaquah in Washington State. She attended Scripps College, where she made life-long friends.
Sara taught elementary school in California and Washington. She loved teaching and the students in her care, and she made lasting friendships in the schools where she taught. Upon retirement, Sara taught English as a Second Language, which she found extremely satisfying. She also took TELOS classes through Bellevue College and had deep respect for her instructors there.
Sara loved nature and the outdoors her entire life, being an avid horseback rider in her youth and hiker and jogger as an adult. She also maintained a long-standing creative focus, taking photographs and drawing. Her family and friends remember her as a great writer who loved the English language. She was an avid reader of poetry and fiction.
Sara participated actively in worship and social causes at Plymouth Church in Seattle. She greatly valued the friendships she made there.
Sara is predeceased by her sister, Helen Merrill, for whom she was a caring companion, especially in the last years of Helen’s life.
Sara is survived by two nieces, Jennifer Merrill (Reed Price) and Laura Merrill (James Butler) and by Jennifer’s children, Mimi Hicklin (Kurt Hicklin, Miles and Reed) and Evan Price (Justin Lynn), and Laura’s children, Lily Butler and Ben Butler. She is also survived by her cousin, Nora Gallagher (Vincent Stanley) and brother Rick McKenzie (Suzanne). Sara cherished this family and was loved and admired by them in return.