Sarah G. Coll

Sarah Coll (nee Gibbons), born in Detroit, Michigan, spent her early years in Springfield, Massachusetts.  Her family moved to Sheffield, Alabama, in 1942.  In 1954 Sarah graduated from the town’s high school, where upon she matriculated to the University of Alabama.  In an algebra class she met a Navy veteran, Hugh Coll (deceased 2015).  Hugh completed his college course work in 1957, and in the following year, shortly before Sarah was to graduate with a major in elementary education, they married.   That summer the couple settled in Birmingham where Hugh started a long and successful career with Sears Roebuck. 

Son Mike (resides in Maryland) and daughter Lea Barksdale (a Lynchburg resident) arrived just three years apart and, while the children were young, Sarah gave her full attention to caring for them and their home.  She also regularly supervised the family’s moves to new communities, something that occurred between 1958 and 1972 on the average of every two years.  The last transfer brought them to Lynchburg, where Hugh served as store manager at Sears until his retirement in 1990.

While living in Atlanta, Sarah worked outside the home as a teacher for four-year-olds enrolled in preschool.  Once settled in Lynchburg, she found employment with the city school system.   First assigned as a first grade substitute teacher, in 1979, she accepted a full time position at Linkhorne Elementary School and remained there until her retirement in 1998.

When Sarah and Hugh became free of regular work responsibilities, they embarked on an extended automobile trip and explored sights in both the United States and Canada.   Travel became a regular part of their lives and they frequently spent time in New England.   They also visited Hawaii, Mexico, Bermuda, and some European countries.

Over the years, Sarah has participated in exercise classes at Silver Sneakers and yoga at the Pearson Cancer Center.  If asked about hobbies, she will say that she “piddles” at knitting and crafts and works as a volunteer serving on the kitchen committee at St. John’s church.   She will also take the opportunity to talk about her three granddaughters and five great grandchildren, most of them currently living in Lynchburg and thus easy to see on a regular basis.