Sara Jo Hightower Murff was born on July 20, 1939, and passed away peacefully on April 17, 2019. She was born in Dallas, TX, to Bayner and C. W. Hightower. Growing up she lived in Tyler, TX, and Jacksonville, FL, before settling with her mother and sister in Houston, TX.
She attended Lanier Junior High and Lamar High School, graduating in 1957. Sara moved to Huntsville, TX, to attend Sam Houston State Teachers College and graduated in 1960.
In Huntsville, she met her first husband, George P. Evans, Jr. They married in 1960 and moved to Raymondville, TX, where their daughter Betsy was born. They then moved to Greenville, TX, where their son Scott was born in 1962.
The family also lived in Carlsbad, NM, and Greeley, CO, where Sara received her master’s degree in elementary education from the University of Northern Colorado in 1973. Sara, Betsy and Scott moved to Brenham, TX, in 1974, and Sara taught first grade for 24 years with the Brenham ISD.
Sara met her second husband, John (Red) Murff, in Brenham and married him in 1980. They were married for 28 years, living in Brenham and Tyler, where they moved in their retirement.
During her retirement, Sara enjoyed playing bridge, participating in book clubs and going to movies with her dear group of friends in Tyler.
She returned to Dallas in 2017 to live in Juliette Fowler Independent Living and participated in various committees, including the library committee.
Sara is survived by her sister Judy Ribble (Sammy), her daughter Betsy, her son Scott and his wife Carla, grandsons Ben Evans (Ashlin) and Matt Evans, and great-grandson Russell, who was born last year on her birthday. She has numerous nephews and nieces in the Houston and San Antonio areas and lifelong friends from Greenville, Brenham, Tyler and Dallas, who brightened her life with fun and laughter.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband John (Red) Murff, and her brother Charles E. Hightower of Houston. Sara was a long-time member of the Presbyterian Church; most recently a member of Northridge Presbyterian in Dallas.
A Memorial Service will be held on May 4, 2019 at Northridge Presbyterian Church, 6920 Bob-O-Link Dr, Dallas, TX, 75214, at 10:00 am, followed by inurnment at 3:00 pm at the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Rockdale, TX.
In lieu of flowers, Sara’s family requests contributions be made to the Sam Houston University Elementary Teaching Scholarship in Sara Murff’s name, address University Advancement, PO Box 2537, Huntsville, TX, 77341.
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