Sarah Laws Spence, 95, passed away in her home at Whispering Pines in Raleigh, NC on December 7, 2022.

Sarah was born in Alexander City, Alabama on August 21, 1927 to parents Herbert Livingston Laws, a Presbyterian minister, and his wife, Marion Patton Laws. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Elementary Education and while teaching in Knoxville, Tennessee, she met and married John Allen Spence, her husband of 25 years until his death from cancer in 1982. Their daughter Janna was born in 1958 and son Allen in 1960. Through her adult life she also lived in Bethany, WV and in Advent Christian Village, FL but later moved to Whispering Pines Retirement Community in Raleigh to be close to her daughter and family.

Sarah loved life. Never interrupt her when she was watching her beloved Alabama or Georgia football on a Saturday! She was an avid reader and up to the end was surrounded by books and ready to talk about her latest interesting read. She also loved to write and used her gift for writing to minister to others in the words of the many thoughtful cards she wrote to them. She enjoyed all kinds of music including Rachmaninoff, Tony Bennett and the Footloose soundtrack which was great for exercising! She kept up with current events in the news, and she enjoyed entertaining friends with a well prepared meal and good conversation at her table

She had other loves as well. One of those was her spiritual life. After growing up in the Presbyterian church, she and John later joined Bethany Memorial Church, Disciples of Christ, and Sarah sang in the choir and became the first woman elder in that congregation. She loved traveling. In 1968 the family lived in Japan for a year where Sarah and John taught oral spoken English at a Christian college and with the children were able to visit around the unique country and get to know many of the gracious people. Later in life she also traveled to Greece, France, England and Spain. She loved the ocean and in particular, Myrtle Beach. She loved beautiful things. Her home was filled with art and light, and she always wore well-coordinated outfits with favorite matching jewelry. Most of all she loved making and keeping dear friends whose lives touched hers and made it rich.

One of Sarah’s greatest legacies will be that she lived with a sense of gratitude for her life and its gifts. As a beloved mother, grandmother, and friend she graced us with her kindness, courage, and sense of humor. She loved her family deeply and would say that attending her children’s weddings and being present for the births of her grandchildren were among her greatest joys. Hers was a life well lived and much cherished by all of us.

She is survived by her brother, Herb Laws, daughter Janna Christiansen and husband Bruce, son Allen Spence and wife Maria, treasured grandchildren Megan (Chris), Cara (Casey) and David (Sarah), as well as numerous special cousins, nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank the managers and staff at Whispering Pines who provided her with a beautiful home and loving care while she lived there in her last years as well as the staff of ComForCare who ensured that her physical needs were faithfully met.

Because she cared so much about the suffering of people around the world, if desired, donations in Sarah’s memory may be made to the World Vision Fund or Disaster Relief Fund at Worldvision.org.