Sara Jane Mason Baer was born on May 21, 1952 to Louise Salmon & James H. Mason, Jr. She is survived by her brother Jim Mason & sister Susan Gentry. Sara grew up on Tremont Street in the Fort Hill area and attended Fort Hill Elementary & E.C. Glass High Schools. She was a member of the National Honor Society & ran track.
At the age of 12 she, along with her siblings were taken in by her grandparents Becky & James Mason Sr. Jim then moved to Texas to be raised by his aunt & uncle, as the grandparents felt he would be better off with them. Sara attended Madison College (now JMU) majoring in Education with a minor in Library Science. Sara graduated in the summer of 1973 and was hired by Amherst County Schools as an Elementary Librarian. She went to work at Central Elementary and immediately was responsible for reorganizing the library and teaching the children library skills. Sara worked at Central for 7 years before being persuaded by her good friend & fellow teacher, Vickie Oblinger to come to Elon Elementary School. At Elon she set about organizing that library as well along with other responsibilities as a librarian. Years later when Elon was renovated, Sara assisted in designing the new library and organizing it. During the renovation you would see Sara with a pile of books on a cart traveling from one room to another to teach the children their library skills and allow them to check out books to read. She had a love for the children and was thrilled when former students would see her and tell her how much fun they had in her library and what they had learned from her. Sara worked at Elon for 28 years, taking one year off when her daughter Meredith was born in 1979.
Sara met her future husband Charlie on a blind date set up by her childhood friend, Kathy Riner and Charlie’s brother, Ed at Virginia Tech. Sara & Charlie walked around the campus talking about former boyfriends & girlfriends. They both told each other they were never getting married because they got hurt in their former relationships. Charlie said this was only a ploy by Sara to reel him in and it worked! After a year of dating Sara & Charlie married on June 9, 1973 while Sara was in her last semester of college. From that union their daughter Meredith was born on Dec. 18, 1979. Meredith faced challenges with some disabilities, but Sara was able to spend the time she needed while still working to make sure Meredith got the services she needed. Sara & Charlie celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary on June 9, shortly after Sara was admitted to the hospital after being diagnosed with multiple cancers. The anniversary dinner consisted of a steak for Charlie & baked potato for Sara, but they enjoyed every minute of that anniversary.
Sara is survived by her husband Charlie, daughter Meredith, brother Jim & sister Sue and her husband Perry Gentry. She is also survived by her nephews, Nick & wife Molly & daughter Lucy, Paul & wife Katherine & Rob Gentry. Her brother-in-law Mike Baer and his wife Donna along with their children, Ashley Baer and daughter Claire, Abbey & wife Kelsie and their three children, Owen, Lane & Nellie and Andrew Baer. Her niece Michelle & husband Billy Gray and their sons Dylan & Jordan. She is also survived by bonus daughter Julie & husband Vince Vitalie along with her bonus grandchildren Alaina, Julian & Victoria as well as Julie’s mother Karen Hopkins.
Sara was a Believer in her Savior Jesus Christ and knew that she would spend eternity in a home without pain or suffering. She attended Impact Church in Forest and met many fellow believers while attending Bible Studies or Women’s groups at the church. She enjoyed the messages presented each Sunday. During her time in the hospital she appreciated the visits by Pastors Brad & Tim and their wives as well as other church members. She also enjoyed the visits by her former teacher friends as well as lifelong friends.
The family wishes to thank the nurses and staff at The Summit in Lynchburg, as well as the staff of Homeland Hospice, for the care they gave her during her illness.
A service celebrating her life and faith will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Monday, July 7, 2025 at Whitten Timberlake Chapel with Pastor Brad Bell and Pastor Timothy Witt officiating.
Interment will follow in Spring Hill Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday and Whitten Timberlake Chapel.
Those wishing to make memorial contributions are asked to consider the Impact Church Building Fund, 14803 Forest Rd. Forest, Va. 24551, www.impactforest.org or the American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org.
