Sara Touchstone Mercer McDonald was born on July 5, 1926 in Meridian, Mississippi. She lived a long and joyful life and passed away at the age of 97 on February 22, 2024. She was a member of Park Place Baptist Church in Pearl, Mississippi. After graduating from Enterprise High School, she lived in Meridian, Mississippi a number of years before moving to Mobile, Alabama, where she began her long and successful career as an Administrative Assistant with a very large CPA firm. After the death of her husband, John, she moved to Brandon, Mississippi to be near her daughter and son-in-law, where she lived for 8 years. She loved music and had a wonderful God given talent of playing piano and keyboards, totally by ear. She said she could never read a note. She would always tell her daughter to just hum it and then, she could play it. She used her gift to bring joy to so many people. She played monthly at several nursing homes, senior centers, and at other attractions around Brandon. She would always remark how it was so rewarding to her to see the smiles and joy that the traditional hymns and oldies brought to so many. She had made a CD and wanted her music played for everyone to remember her by. She had so many friends, especially Pat Randall, that she dearly loved, along with a group of girlfriends from Phyllis's childhood: Vonica Ervin Tamney, Kathy Gough Holley, Patricia Trussell Gibson, Rose Mary Boswell Anderson, Janie James Larson, Barbaree Rosenbaum Heaster, Penny Mayfield Young, and Sharon Denton Quinn.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John McDonald, along with her parents, Allie Mae (Big Mama) Touchstone and Clayton Touchstone, her brother, Hamilton Touchstone and sister-in-laws, Grace Touchstone and Sarah Lee Touchstone. She leaves behind her only child, Phyllis Mercer Love Fox and her loving son-in-law, David Fox, who helped take care of her; two granddaughters, Allison Love Davis of Brandon, MS and Ashley Love Sumrall, M.D. (Rusty) of Charlotte, NC; four great-granddaughters, Annabella Brooke Davis, Kinsey Sumrall, Emma Kate Sumrall, and Lily Sumrall; two great-grandsons, Alexander Clayton Davis and Carter Sumrall; two great-great-granddaughters, Parker Marie Davis and Penelope Rose Davis; a brother, James Hulon Touchstone (Harriet); and several other nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank Community Place Nursing Home and HomeCare Hospice for the wonderful care that was given to our loving Sara Touchstone Mercer McDonald. The family asks that any donations be given to Samaritan's Purse Organization in her memory.
Visitation will be Monday, February 26, 2024 at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl, MS, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00pm p.m. A graveside ceremony will be held on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 1:00pm at Magnolia Cemetery in Meridian, MS.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.baldwinleepearl.com for Miss Sara.
