Sarah Jean Velky Fairfield

Sarah J. Fairfield, 53, of Brunswick, died Tuesday, February 1, 2011 in Liberty County, Georgia. Funeral services will be held at 11AM Saturday, February 5, 2011 at First Baptist Church, Brunswick, GA with Dr. Neal Cordle officiating.

Born October 7, 1957 in Sleepy Hollow, NY to Edward Paul and Ruth Shulman Velky, Sarah was a 1976 graduate of Contoocook Valley High School, Peterborough, New Hampshire. Ms. Fairfield was a retired brakeman and conductor with Conrail. She was Roman Catholic in faith and enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. She had been a resident of Glynn County since 2007.

Survivors include her son, Rhett M. Fairfield and wife Nicole of Brunswick, five grandchildren, Kaitlyn Fairfield, Aleisa Fairfield, Mikkela Fairfield, Gavin Fairfield, and Tristan Fairfield, her parents, Edward and Ruth Velky of Tinton Falls, NJ, a sister, Alice Velky of Highland, NY, and two brothers, George Velky of Boulder, CO, and Stephen Velky and his wife Carol of Astoria, NY..

The family will receive friends Saturday at First Baptist Church following the service.

Edo Miller and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. www.edomillerandsons.com

Eulogy as read by Sarah's father, Edward Velky:

Eulogy

for

Sarah Jean Velky Fairfield

1957 - 2011

How do we condense a life into a few minutes? - Like all of us, Sarah was not perfect. We remember a sunny, sweet, exuberant little girl. Indeed her exuberance sometimes got her into trouble. In the primary grades we were called to a conference with Sarah's teacher. We were told that she had read a story to the children which ended with – "and they all lived happily ever after". Sarah clapped her hands and exclaimed aloud which – supposedly – broke the spell for the rest of the class. My wife – an educator herself – and I were stunned that a child's joy could be so condemned!

Sarah became a rebellious teenager. Those were difficult years. But she continued to mature. She married young and became a very young mother. She raised a wonderful, loving son all on her own.

Sarah found her path in life when her railroad career began after she and her son, Rhett, moved to Seattle. She was hired as the first female brakeman on the Union Pacific. (Equal Opportunity was on the rise!) When she moved back to New York, she worked for Metro-North as a conductor. Later, she was hired by ConRail – again as a brakeman. She took great pride in being able to do what most considered "a man's job". And she was a hard worker. Choosing to work nights for the extra pay, she was able to buy a modest house for herself and Rhett.

All this fell apart when she was seriously injured on the job.

The next years saw the life she had built fall apart, largely by her own doing, as she struggled with the pain – and the pain-killers – but mostly with the realization that she could never go back to the work she loved. There were many difficult years – difficult also for Rhett and for those of us who loved her as we tried to deal with her self-destructive behavior.

But once again she turned the corner and began to put her life back together. With Nicole and Rhett she found love and acceptance. As her parents, we were so happy to see her again leading a purposeful life as she contributed to the fabric of Rhett's young and growing family. Above all Sarah loved her family. She was fiercely proud of her son and adored her grandchildren.

As we began, she was not perfect. Her lateness was legendary. Her problems caused all of us much heartache, but in some ways she was bigger than life. You always knew when she was in the room. She was funny; she was exuberant; she loved us all – and you knew that too! And we loved her – with all her faults.

Sarah, may you rest in peace. We will never forget you!

by Her Father and Mother

February 5, 2011