Sara MusKelley's Obituary
Sara Louise Butts MusKelley, July 20, 1925 – December 31, 2010. Between those dates were eighty-five years filled with a zest for life’s adventures. Sara Louise Butts was born to Edgar R. and Sara Fowler Butts in Memphis, TN. Raised on Helena Plantation, six miles out from Waterproof, LA, the young Sara could ride a horse, shoot a gun, and drive a car by the time she was ten. After graduating from high school, she earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Belhaven College. Mrs. MusKelley attended the New York School of Interior Decoration and spent a summer on Cape Cod working with a summer stock theater. Her favorite story was about when Gloria Swanson sat on a freshly painted chair on the stage. Mrs. MusKelley had warned her, and the famous actress became very angry when the expensive costume she was wearing was ruined. In the late 1940’s, Mrs. MusKelley taught in the Natchez, MS school system. There, she met her future husband, James K. MusKelley. Prior to their riage in 1952, Mrs. MusKelley rode bicycles 1,400 miles over Europe. She also taught elementary children in Kyoto, Japan. After marrying her husband, Sara and James MusKelley lived in Mexico for two years. Upon returning to Memphis, she had two daughters, Metra Elizabeth and Mary Jessica. Along with traveling, playing bridge, enjoying her family and friends, studying a variety of subjects (because it was fun), Mrs. MusKelley was one of the first people to receive her paralegal certificate from the University of Memphis. She could recite poetry as a “comeback” and make others laugh with her quick wit. She never met a stranger and was generous to a fault. Besides her husband, James K. MusKelley, Mrs. MusKelley leaves her daughters Mary McGowan (Mac), Metra Reid (James), and grandchildren, Mims McGowan Pigg (Sean), Gibb McGowan, Molly McGowan, Jeb Baker, and Josh Baker, and step-grandchildren, Matthew Reid and Chelsea Reid. The family would like to thank the dedicated doctors and nurses of Baptist Hospital. A memorial service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, January 2 at Memorial Park Funeral Home. Visitation will be held one hour prior. In lieu of flowers, friends and family may make donations to Porter Leath, 868 N. Manassas, www.PorterLeath.org or Germantown Presbyterian Church Youth Group. Memorial Park Funeral Home, “Behind the stone wall”, 901-767-8930. Condolences may be offered at www.MemorialParkOnline.com
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