Sara Jean Witt

Sara Jean Brown Witt, 97, of Hilliard, Ohio, experienced the reality of her lifelong faith and was welcomed by her God and Savior into heaven on Tuesday, September 10, 2024.  

Sara was born at home on the family farm outside Mechanicsburg, Ohio in the winter of 1927.  She was the daughter of the late John T. Brown (Lieutenant Governor and Director of Agriculture of Ohio) and Mary F. Brown (Director of Nurses, Delaware, Ohio Sanitarium).  

Sara attended Mechanicsburg High School and also Stephens College Preparatory School in Columbia, Missouri. Later, she attended Denison University before transferring to The Ohio State University and graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in June 1951. Though working at OSU University Hospital for only a few years, she remained a passionate Buckeye fan her entire life.

Though early passions included playing basketball and softball, playing violin at school and in the traveling “Sarajonancyphy” quartet, and spending summers with her family at the Ohio State Fair, Sara’s lifelong hobby was serving others. She joyfully embraced this calling following the example of her Lord Jesus Christ. Whether it was baking pecan pies, making peanut clusters, writing personal letters, making phone calls, hosting overnight guests, visiting shut-ins, striking up conversations at local restaurants, or making full course meals, she strived to make everyone feel important and loved, whether family or not. No one was ever a stranger to her.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband of 39 years, Dale V. Witt, her wonderful sister, Margaret Lois Brown Maier, and many other dearly loved family members.

Sara was a devoted mother of 7—Gregory (Bethanne), David, Randall (Barbara) and Brent (Kelly), a loving grandmother of 18— Rachel (Kyle), Taylor (Anna), Addison (Mandy), Allison (Nathan), Amy (Dylan), Jeremy (Lindi), Hannah (Weston), Bailey (Kira), and Abby (Patrick), and a proud great-grandmother of 12—Luke, Lucy, Griffin, Wren, Kempton, Avery, Vivi, Hayden, August, Benjamin, Archie, and Hattie. Sara is also survived by a precious sister-in-law, Faye Witt, and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Family and friends may call from 4-7 PM, Friday, September 20, 2024 at Tidd Funeral Home, Hilliard, Ohio. A graveside service and burial will be conducted at Maple Grove Cemetery in Mechanicsburg, Ohio on Saturday morning, September 21 at 9:45 AM (procession leaves Tidd Funeral Home at 8:45 AM). The memorial service will be on Saturday, September 21 at 12:30 PM at Linworth Baptist Church, Columbus, Ohio, with additional visitation one hour prior.

Memorial contributions may be made to Teen Quest, a Christian youth ministry and ranch in western Pennsylvania, administered by relatives of Sara’s. Send to Teen Quest, 293 Rich Road, Somerset, PA 15501 or teenquest.org.