Sara McGaughran Haynes

Sara Maynard McGaughran Haynes peacefully transitioned from this world on March 6th, after a years-long battle with dementia. Born February 8, 1951 in Knoxville Tennessee and raised in Houston Texas, where she lived most of her remarkably full life. Sara was the fourth of eight dynamic siblings; loving mother of three children, three step-children, and ten grandchildren; graduate of Mt. Carmel High School (1969) and the Houston Glassell School of Arts (1983); and held various careers associated with higher education administration at the University of Houston and Baylor College of Medicine, in addition to her lifelong pursuit of creating and sharing her artwork in assorted media with family, friends, and other patrons. Sara was a breast cancer survivor and lay advocate for breast cancer awareness, a longtime member of the Houston area recovery communities, a sail boating enthusiast, loved to host galas for multiple causes and Houston area groups, and enjoyed taking her vintage airstream trailer “Matilda” to see her large family diaspora or on visits to almost every state park in Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado.

Sara is survived by her loving husband of 33 years, Ernest L. Haynes; her three children Deirdre Allen (of Austin TX), Ben Elliott (of Borger TX), and Nick Sortin (of San Antonio TX), and their spouses Brad Allen, Mia Elliott, and Kari Sortin; three step-children Joseph Haynes (of Little River Academy TX), Kathleen Pacini (of Houston TX), and Mindy Adams (of San Marcos Tx); ten grandchildren Christopher Blom, Henry Rodgers, Clay Elliott, Aaron Elliott, Phoenix Sortin, Sailor Sortin, Lesley Pacini, Sam Haynes, Dorothy Adams, Joan Adams,  and her siblings Michael McGaughran (of Dallas TX), Mary Robson (of Bastrop TX), Jane Arnold (of Houston TX), Ann Brandon (of Ft Collins CO), and Pat McGaughran (of Ft. Collins CO) and their families. Sara is pre-deceased by her parents Laurence Shirley McGaughran and “Kate” Egan McGaughran and by two of her brothers, Tim McGaughran and Robert McGaughran.

Though Sara may have departed from this earthly realm, her spirit lives on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her. May her legacy of love, compassion, creativity, and stubborn determination continue to inspire us all.