Sarah Waller's Obituary
SARAH ELIZABETH PICKENS WALLER July 14, 1941 – March 25, 2015 Sarah Elizabeth Pickens Waller, the wife of former Mayo Clinic CEO Dr. Robert R. Waller, has died after a long illness in Memphis, Tennessee. Sarah Waller was born in Memphis on July 14th, 1941 to Ruth Champion Pickens, a teacher and former principal of Grace-Saint Luke’s school in Memphis, and Harold Henry Pickens, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. She attended Memphis public schools and graduated from Central High School in 1959. Mrs. Waller obtained her degree with distinction from Rhodes College (formerly Southwestern at Memphis) in 1963 where she majored in French. She was president of the Chi Omega sorority. After graduation Mrs. Waller taught French at Central High School. Mrs. Waller moved from Memphis to Rochester, MN in 1964. A devoted wife and mother, she was a longtime 2nd grade Sunday school teacher at the First Presbyterian Church in Rochester where she also served for a time as the Director of Christian Education. She volunteered extensively with the Methodist Hospital, Rochester Public Library, Meals on Wheels, and served as healthcare liaison to the Cambodian refugees relocating in Rochester in the 1980s. She was also a member and leader of the Alice Mayo Society. Mrs. Waller and her husband returned to her hometown of Memphis in 2000 where they have resided ever since. Mrs. Waller spent her last days surrounded by family and friends at Methodist Hospice. She is survived by her husband Bob Waller, her sister Carol Pickens White, her three children Elizabeth, Kathy, and Rob Waller, and seven grandchildren; Annie, Zack, Ava, Zola, Noah, Henry and Hazel. The family requests that any memorials please be directed to the French department of Rhodes College. Services will be held this Saturday afternoon, March 28th, at St. John’s Methodist church at 1pm. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN 38119, “Behind the Stone Wall.”
What’s your fondest memory of Sarah?
What’s a lesson you learned from Sarah?
Share a story where Sarah's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Sarah you’ll never forget.
How did Sarah make you smile?