Mrs. Sarah I. Hibner Wachs

Sarah I. Wachs, 84, of Litchfield Park, AZ, went to be with her Lord Thursday, July 28, 2011. Born on January 19, 1927 in Elwood, IL, she is survived by 3 sisters, Mabel, Mildred, and Ida; her 4 children, Dale, Carol, Marian, and Alice; and 6 grandchildren. Friends and family are invited to share in a "Celebration of Life" service, beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, August 8, 2011 at Central Christian Church - Glendale Campus, 8600 W. Glendale Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85305. Arrangements under the direction of Phoenix Memorial Park and Mortuary, Phoenix, AZ.

BIOGRAPHY by Alice Kohrs

Sarah was born to Ruth Hazel and Francis Kurtz Hibner in Elwood, Illinois on January 19, 1927. She was their second born and first daughter. There were 9 children in all: Eldon, Sarah, Francis, Ruth, Mabel, Edna, Millie, Dwight, and Ida. Sarah took her role of being the oldest daughter seriously. She gave a willing hand with farm chores, house chores, cooking, and caring for her siblings. She was the quintessential "farm girl".

At a young age Sarah experienced the pain of losing her younger brother, Little Francis, who was only five. This loss forever impacted her and her family. Sarah, herself, came close to death in her teen years when her appendix burst and she developed peritonitis, a severe abdominal infection. Because of this fight for her life, she did not graduate from high school with her class, but went on to get her GED.

In her mid-twenties Sarah met a young man from southern Illinois. Love followed their courtship and on April 9, 1953 she married Hilary Gene Wachs. They found their first home and set up housekeeping in Lockport, Illinois. Almost a year later their first child was born Dale was their only son, and was followed by three sisters, Carol, Marian, and Alice. There was a lot of rejoicing over these children, since the doctor had predicted that Sarah would be unable to have children due to the effects of the peritonitis.

Sarah had a strong work ethic and poured herself into whatever she was doing. She worked at a paper company, a sewing factory, a hospital, retail stores, dry cleaners, and an office cleaning service. When possible she worked from home by doing laundry, ironing, and babysitting for neighbors and friends. She also kept a tidy and comfortable home. Being busy was a part of her nature.

After moving from a country home in Elwood, Sarah devoted herself to raising her family in the town of Joliet, Illinois. In 1969 Gene relocated the family to Phoenix, Arizona. The move was hard since she had such strong bonds with her family in Illinois. Sarah returned to work in a retail store to help support the family as wages in Arizona were very low. The family soon became well adjusted in Arizona and remain in the state to this day.

The nest began to empty in the early 1980s. First Carol, then Dale, Alice, and Marian married. Sundays found the family all together eating a home cooked meal together at Mom and Dad's. Soon grandchildren joined the gatherings. Dale and his wife Elaine, had two sons, Kyle and Kurtis. Alice and Mike had 3 children, Jeremy, Melissa, and Christopher. Marian and Richard, had a daughter, Valerie. Carol's marriage ended after 10 years and did not have children, but she loved spending time with her nephews and nieces. For Sarah, having the family all together was true happiness and the grandchildren were her pride and joy.

In 2003 Sarah and Gene reached 50 years of marriage together. The family celebrated by going to a dinner theater and met afterward for a party with cake and memory making. A video in commemoration of their Golden Anniversary was watched and enjoyed by all.

After many years of declining health, Sarah, Gene, and Carol moved into a home with Marian and Richard in Litchfield Park, Arizona. They stayed together until Gene was not able to be cared for at home anymore. Gene passed away in August, 2008. Sarah, now suffering from Alzheimer's, had difficulty understanding the loss. Sarah continued to live with Marian while fighting many physical issues. She greatly enjoyed when the family all got together for holidays and birthdays.

The family had a scare in the summer of 2009 when Marian suffered a pulmonary embolism that threatened to take her from them. Marian by God's "miraculous" grace recovered almost entirely. After this Alice joined her sister in caring for Sarah, to ease the load on Marian. The family worked together to care for Sarah, as she had taught them to, with God's love and strength.

Sarah started to decline more rapidly in 2011 and after having a heart attack was put on hospice in February. On July 18, 2011, Sarah suffered a stroke which left her too weak to recover.

Sarah passed from this life July 28, 2011, almost 3 years after her husband had gone to be with the Lord. She was a wonderful woman, that loved and taught her family to trust in God. She will be missed by those still earthbound, but she is welcomed by many who love her and have waited for her to join them beyond the sunset.