Sara "Pat" Held

Sara Flowers Jennings Held (“Pat”), 92, of Raleigh, NC, passed peacefully home to her Lord and Savior on September 12, 2022 surrounded by family members following an extended illness.

Pat is survived by her sister Henrietta Jennings Brown (Ponte Vedra, FL); three daughters: Carol Weaver of Savannah, GA (Herb); Nancy Davis (Wes) of Oak Ridge, NC; and Sara (“Sally”) Dawson Held of Raleigh, NC; and three grandchildren: Anna, Christopher, and John.

Pat is preceded in death by her parents, William Hampton Jennings and Margaret Dawson Jennings; her twin sister, Margaret Dawson Jennings (“Peggy”); and her beloved husband, John Carl Held.

Born in Thomasville, GA on September 19, 1929, Pat was raised in the small town of Chester, SC. She attended Mercer University in Macon, GA where she was a member of Phi Mu Sorority.

Pat never lost her small town girl charm which was cherished by close friends and especially her family. She was unpretentious, rarely spoke an unkind word, and was grateful for her many blessings including, “My Family” and “The gift of my husband, John”.

Pat met her husband, John, working for the Federal Government in Washington D.C. They were married in 1952, and led by John’s career in Electrical Engineering, raised their daughters in Washington, DC, Maitland, FL, Sudbury, MA, and finally Raleigh, NC. Their happy marriage of 68 years ended with John’s passing in December, 2020.

Pat especially enjoyed reading, spending time with family and friends, flowering plants, and caring for family pets. She never met a stranger as she was full of sincere love and warmth for everyone she met.

Pat’s lifelong most admired and influential person was the Rev. Billy Graham. If Pat were alive today, she would undoubtedly proclaim her favorite Rev. Graham quote (revised): “Some day you will read or hear that Pat Held is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I will be more alive than I am now. I will have just changed my address. I will have gone into the Presence of God.”

The Held family remains grateful to Benson Memorial United Methodist Church where they spent many years worshiping alongside a family of loving and supportive individuals.

The family especially thanks the Caregivers of Brighton Gardens of Raleigh; 3HC Hospice; and Val’s Place for their thoughtful assistance in caring for Pat.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Benson Memorial United Methodist Church, 4706 Creedmoor Rd., Raleigh, NC, or to 3HC Hospice, 821 N Brightleaf Blvd., Smithfield, NC, 27577, (Joshua Ward, RN, Memorial Fund).

A combined Celebration of Life Service for John and Pat to be announced at a later date.

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