Sara Wisdom Obituary

SARA MARTHA WISDOM
November 26, 1939 ~ April 22, 2013

A celebration service remembering the life of Sara Martha Wisdom will be held at 2:00 p.m. on May 10, 2013 at First Baptist Church, Beaverton, Oregon. Participating in the service are her pastor, Rev. Norman Langston, longtime friends Dixie Huffman of Springfield, Oregon, Bettye Ann McQueen of Shreveport, Louisiana, the Northwest Baptist Convention Woman's Missionary Union Presidents who ministered with Sara, and organist, Dennis Coleman.

Sara passed from earth into eternal life on April 22, 2013 in Vancouver, Washington. She was preceded in death by her father, Granville Wisdom; mother, Ola Deberry Wisdom Martin; and step-father, Roy Martin. She is survived by her brother Jack and wife Sherri of Dripping Springs, Texas; her nephew Jason and wife Jamie, and their children Harlan and Addie Mae of Honolulu, Hawaii.

Sara was born in Robinson, Illinois, but her childhood and youth were lived in Texas. Her Bachelor's degree was in Religious Education at Wayland Baptist College, Plainview, Texas.

Upon college graduation, Sara responded to an invitation from First Baptist Church, Klamath Falls, Oregon, to be church secretary and youth minister. After three years in Klamath Falls, Sara pursued a Master's degree at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. Seminary was followed by two years ministry with the Arkansas Baptist Convention as State Director of Acteens, The Women's Missionary Union organization for teenage girls.

In 1972, Sara accepted the invitation of the Northwest Baptist Convention to become the Convention's Women's Missionary Union director. She remained in this position for the next 33 years, retiring in 2005. Her ministry in Northwest Baptist WMU included leadership training, leading retreats and special events, and encouraging missions in multiple venues throughout the Northwest Baptist Convention and beyond. She was privileged to go on international mission trips to China and East Africa.

Her outgoing personality, sense of humor, and love for friends near and far brought joy and blessing to Sara. In the later years, a special relationship with those in her cancer support group was especially meaningful. Through the support group she learned in art therapy the unique skill of making personalized "wrap dolls." Sara made, with a personalized touch, more than 145 wrap dolls for cancer patients throughout the United States.

Sara fought an eleven year battle with cancer. Breast cancer was diagnosed in 2002 then bone cancer in 2009. She participated in the planning of her Celebration Memorial Service insisting that all parts of the service bring glory and honor to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Please sign Sara's Guest Book at www.columbian.com/obits.