Sara Elizabeth Stubblefield, 36, of Mount Vernon, took her place on the front row of the angelic choir when she passed away unexpectedly on Monday evening, March 28, 2011, while traveling in Alexandria, Va.?
?Friends may call between 4 and 8 p.m. on Friday, April 1, at Newell Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 2, at Woodlawn Christian Church in Woodlawn, with Pastor Tracy Thomas officiating. The family will receive friends from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service at the church. Private interment will follow at Maple Hill Cemetery in Sesser.?
?In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Epilepsy Foundation of Southern Illinois and will be accepted at the Newell Funeral Home, 2707 North St., Mt. Vernon, IL 62684.
Sara was born on May 21, 1974, the daughter of Richard and Carolyn Stubblefield. She was a beloved and cherished daughter, sister and aunt.
She is survived by her parents of Mount Vernon; one sister and brother-in-law, Jennifer and Ed Lobenhofer of Thousand Oaks, Calif.; and two nephews, Kyle and Zachary Lobenhofer, who will miss their most enthusiastic and imaginative playmate. She is also survived by five aunts, Gayla Stubblefield, Jo Ann Garner and husband Richard, and Joyce Hodge and husband Kent, all of Sesser; Bette Reynolds and husband Gary of Benton; and Kathleen Sapp and husband Marvin of Columbia, Mo.; and one uncle, John Franklin and wife Donna of Portage, Ind.; as well as numerous cousins.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Willie and Hazel Stubblefield, John and May Fornear, and Paul Baker and Esther Baker; one aunt, one uncle, and one infant sister.?
Sara was a 1996 honors graduate of Greenville College, and received a master's degree in Social Work from Washington University in 1998. She earned the designation of Licensed Clinical Social Worker.? ?Sara was a fearless advocate for epilepsy education and research. She dedicated her life to making a difference for better care and treatment for people living with epilepsy. She had served for 10 years as Epilepsy Services Coordinator for the Epilepsy Foundation of Southern Illinois, and was participating in the Epilepsy Foundation of America's annual Public Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., at the time of her death.
She was an active member of Woodlawn Christian Church, served 10 years on the board of the Illinois YMCA Youth and Government program, and was a member of the Isaac Hull chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the National Association of Social Workers.? ?
