Sara M. Palone

Born in Pittsburgh to Thomas Darrell Smith and Mary Sagulla Smith, the family moved to Masontown, Pennsylvania two years later. Sara graduated from German Township High School in 1938. She was an alumna of Uniontown Hospital School of Nursing, Class of 1941. Sara and Felix (Phil) Palone married on July 12, 1941 shortly before her graduation and moved to Crucible, PA. She and her nursing classmates met regularly throughout the years.

Sara had a love and enthusiasm for all things golf, which she stopped playing at the age of 94. She avidly participated in the Women’s Golf Association at Greene County Country Club, Waynesburg collecting several golf trophies in her division. She assisted with organizing Ladies’ Day events and enjoyed being the photographer for those events.

Sara also photographed other social gatherings of friends and family. She created photo albums and meticulously recorded details on the photos including reprints for those involved.

Sara was an integral part of Hewitt Presbyterian Church in Rices Landing. She served as Sunday School teacher, Deacon, worked the rummage sales, served at church dinners and was part of a group who made hundreds of the locally-famous chocolate turtles at Christmas time. Sara was a long-time active member of Class 7 and a 50-year Eastern Star member.

Sara was well known in the Carmichaels community. She and her late husband attended numerous formal dances and class reunions at Carmichaels Area High School where Phil taught, coached golf, and was guidance counselor for 38 years. Sara and Phil were partners in Palone & Kessler Jewelers, also in Carmichaels. As part of the Rices Landing Garden Club, Sara helped plant flowers throughout Rices Landing.

Living most of her life in Greene County, Sara moved to Redstone Highlands Senior Community in Murrysville, PA in 2011. Despite the difficulties and limitations imposed by the pandemic, Sara’s recent 100th birthday was celebrated with a parade and festivities at Redstone Highlands among her many Redstone friends and staff.

Sara Marie Smith Palone is survived by her daughter Linda Palone Roberts, MD, and Jim Roberts of Pittsburgh, her daughter, Phyllis (Kit) Palone Sturman of San Jose, CA. Sara’s sister, Fame and husband, Tony Guappone are deceased. She is also survived by nieces and nephews Tom and Connie Guappone, Marie and John Gamon, Tony and Sheila Guappone, Bruce and Vicky Allison and numerous grand nieces and nephews.

Because of the Covid19 Pandemic, a private family graveside service will be conducted. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Sara to: Hewitt Presbyterian Church, 1206 Crucible Road, Rices Landing, PA 15357 or Redstone Mission Support, 126 Matthews Street, Greensburg, PA 15601. The Roberts and Sturman families would like to express our gratitude to the wonderful caring staff at Redstone Highlands Murrysville. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Behm Funeral Home, 1477 Jefferson Rd., Jefferson, PA 15344, Gregory P. Rohanna, supervisor. Condolences may be expressed online at www.behm-funeralhomes.com.