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Sarah Lucille Martin Neely | 78 | Roodhouse

Sarah Lucille Martin Neely, 78, of Roodhouse, Ill., passed away Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022 at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Ill. She was born Nov. 21, 1943 in Jacksonville, Ill., the daughter of Floyd and Lolita Story Martin.

She is survived by her children, Kate (Jarrod) Williams of Grimesland, NC and Rick (Erin) Neely of Blue Springs, Mo.; four grandchildren, Betsy Williams, Daniel Williams, Kendal Neely and Evelyn Neely; two bonus grandchildren, J.D. Lindley and Emily Peak and her cousin, Will Rees of Monmouth, Ill. She was preceded in death by her parents and her aunt, Opal Story Rees.

A proud graduate of Roodhouse High School, she attended Illinois College in Jacksonville. She then went to the University of Missouri, where she was a graduate student in the School of Journalism. She was a member of Marching Mizzou, which was, at that time, one of the few college bands to admit women. She was employed as a teacher, a columnist – as writer of “The Same Ol’ Column with No Name” in the Oak Grove Banner, and, after her mother’s passing, also enjoyed working with the Ethan and Penny Cox family to manage her farmland. She attended the Roodhouse Christian Church until its closing when she then transferred her membership to the First Christian Church in White Hall, IL. Sarah enjoyed her time as a band and choir parent in Oak Grove, Mo. and was president of the music booster club when her children were in high school. Sarah loved to travel and do genealogical research. She actively volunteered for various political campaigns including Carson Ross for State Representative and others.  She sat on the Oak Grove Planning and Zoning Commission and the Oak Grove R-VI School Board for many years and was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022 at Airsman-Hires Funeral Home in Roodhouse with burial at Fernwood Cemetery. The family will meet friends from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society in her father’s memory.  Condolences may be left online at www.airsman-hires.com.

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