Sara Symes

Sara Mildred Woodbury Symes, 87, died at her Sebastopol home on
Dec. 16 after a brief illness. Born in Tipton County, at age 18,
after one year of training at Memphis State Normal School, Sara
began her long teaching career in a one-room schoolhouse on an
island in the Mississippi River. During World War II, Sara joined
the U.S. Army and served from 1943-46, rising to the rank of
sergeant. While in the Army, she met her future husband, Lt. Thomas
J. Symes. They married in 1947. Sara attended college on the GI
Bill at the University of Cincinnati and Columbia University,
graduating from Columbia in 1948. In the last year of the war, Sara
and Tom were posted to San Francisco and fell in love with Northern
California. They returned to the Bay Area in 1948 to raise a family
and moved to Sebastopol in 1956. In 1957, Sara returned to teaching
as the first grade teacher of Spring Hill School. Later she moved
to Twin Hills School and then to Apple Blossom School. Although
Sara retired in 1978, she continued to teach botany and nature
science to first graders as a volunteer until 1991. Twin Hills
honored her by dedicating a nature walk in her name. She and Tom
delighted in their apple ranch near Freestone for many years,
growing fruit, vegetables, and flowers in great profusion. Tom died
suddenly last spring. Sara is survived by her children William W.
Symes, Douglas Symes, and Deborah M. Symes, grandchildren Amelia
Ruth Symes and Maxwell Symes Hallock and brothers Harry Woodbury
Jr. and Samuel R. Woodbury and their families. A reception for
those wishing to share remembrance of Sara and Tom will be held
from 1 to 4 p.m. on Dec. 28 at 8040 Hill Dr., Sebastopol. In lieu
of flowers, the family suggests donations in Sara’s memory may be
made to Planned Parenthood, the Mono Lake Committee or The Southern
Poverty Law Center.