Sarah Wakefield

WILSON - Sarah Dillon Wakefield, died Friday, June 24, 2011 after a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer's.

Funeral, Sunday, 3 PM, St. Timothy's Episcopal Church. The family will receive friends at the church one hour before the funeral.

Born in Cookeville, Putnam County, TN on August 15, 1930, she was the fourth child of five siblings of Henry Clay Dillon and wife Anna Clark Dillon of Wilson and the granddaughter of James Edward Dillon and wife, Mary Compton, and William Butler Clark and wife, Nancy Van Hooser, of Tennessee. She attended Woodard School and graduated in 1949 from Charles L. Coon High School, where she was in the honor society, JV cheerleader, business manager of the Radiogram, Captain of the girls basketball team, student council representative and voted "Most Athletic" by her class. She attended Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College) and completed a one year program in business in 1950. She attended 13 years of education without missing a single day of school. She was employed by the NC Department of Transportation in her younger years. She was an avid golfer and won many tournaments in Charlotte and Myrtle Beach. She was a member of Wachesaw Golf and Country Club, Murrell's Inlet, SC and served on the board of directors, executive board and was secretary for many years. She was a long time member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Myrtle Beach and served on the Altar Guild, flower guild and Soup Pantry. She later was a member of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church with her move to Wilson in 2005.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Earl Alexander Crump, Howard Vaughn Caton and Blair Pershing Wakefield; sisters, Dorothy Dillon Giarth and Jill Dillon Boykin and brother, Harold Clay Dillon.

She is survived by her brother, William Edward Dillon and wife, Jane, of Southern Pines; sister-in-law, Barbara Dinkle Dillon of Darien, CT and several nieces and nephews, particularly, J. Robert Boykin, III and wife, Susan, Dorothy Boykin Pittman and husband, James W., all of Wilson and William Clay Giarth and wife, Patty, of Fort Walton, FL and step-daughter, Dixie Wakefield Peachy and husband, Bill, of Suffolk, VA.

She had a passion for entertaining and cooking and also for children. She was known for her homemade chicken and rice soup that she took weekly to the sick, needy and elderly.

Thanks to Dr. Trent Wester, Dr. Thomas Kline, Amanda Gary and the staff at Parkwood Village and The Landing.

Memorials are suggested to St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, Acolyte Program, PO Box 1527, Wilson NC 27894 or the Wilson County Public Library, 249 Nash St W, Wilson NC 27893.