Sarah Katheryn George

Born in Florida, Sarah “Kay” George, 82 passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 9, 2025. She loved being born January, 26 1943 to the Halley B. Lewis and Cola Hardee Lewis. She was the proud sister to her surviving siblings Halley B. Lewis Jr. (and wife Mary Gene), Sam H. Lewis (wife Jan), Cola “Pat” Provau (husband Mike), and John W. Lewis (late wife Bonnie). She was preceded in death in 1991 by her husband and love of her life Harry Wallace “Wally” George who she wed in 1967. She was the loving mother to Amy George and her husband George William Talbot Jr. (of Austin, Texas) and sales executive Stephanie George Ragans and her husband Coach William Cecil Ragans Jr. (of Tallahassee, Florida). She was the adoring grandmother to her grandchildren - William “Tripp” Cecil Ragans III, Bailey Kay Ragans, Rowan Talbot, and Wyatt Talbot.

Kay was a 1961 graduate of Desoto High School where she was crowned Homecoming Queen, “Wittiest of her Class” and “Best Dressed”. She graduated from Florida State University (FSU) where she earned a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education in 1965. She was a spirited FSU cheerleader; her daughter Stephanie and granddaughter Bailey Kay followed in her legacy at FSU. She was also a trapeze artist in the FSU Circus and a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. A life long learner, she earned a Masters in Administrative Supervision in 1990 from Nova University. As a world history teacher, she inspired thousands of mostly middle school children for 42 years. In 2003 she received “Outstanding Teacher Performance Recognition” from the State of Florida and was nominated as a Lee County “Golden Apple Teacher” finalist 11 times retiring from Cypress Lake Middle School in 2007. In retirement, she cruised the world with her sister Pat, visiting over 28 countries from France to Russia. She was a super athlete – water skied, snow skied, biked, golfed. She loved the beach, watching football, watching her granddaughter cheer, shopping deals, going to shows in Vegas with her girls, playing bridge with friends, laughing at AI baby memes with Wyatt, and sitting around and telling stories with family and friends.

In her 1993 holiday letter she ends, “I have been blessed in so many ways. Somehow, among all of the things for which I am thankful, my family and my friends stand out far above the rest. Without these gifts, we would not be who we are and who we will be. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!”

To know Kay was to love her. Family and friends are invited to a Celebration of Life on Saturday January 31st at 3:00pm. For an invitation and location of the service, please email [email protected] no later than January 15th.

In lieu of flowers, consider supporting her favorite brother-in-law Mike Provau’s lifework caring for his community through DeSoto Cares Homeless Services.