Sarah Diane Mayer, 23, a former South Whidbey resident, died Dec. 26, 2003, in British Columbia, Canada.

According to her family, she lived graciously and purely, loving all whom she encountered. Her family, friends, church members, classmates, instructors, patients and co-workers will mourn and remember “Our Sarah” as a shining light of God’s glory.

She grew up on South Whidbey and graduated from Bayview High School in 1999. In high school she ran on the cross country and track teams. She was an honor student and a beautiful singer. She conquered many battles in life, including addiction. She lived in sobriety nearly four years, never taking anything or anyone for granted. She was a member of Whidbey Island Evangelical Free Church in Greenbank, and Christ the King Community Church in Mount Vernon. She lived on campus at Job Corps in Sedro-Woolley and was a nursing student at Skagit Valley Community College in Mount Vernon since 2001. She served as a certified nursing assistant at Ashley Gardens Home for Alzheimer’s in Mount Vernon.

Unreservedly Sarah cared for, prayed for and loved her patients. During her last year, when crowds of demonstrators and picketers held conflict over the war, Sarah stood along the roadside holding her simple and pertinent message: PRAY.

Sarah was beside her fiance, Marcus Tyler Winchester III, when they went instantly and simultaneously to meet their Lord. They had spent a wonderful Christmas with family and were very happy to their last moment.

Sarah will be sorely missed by her parents, Thomas and Valerie Mayer; her dearly loved sister, Tiffany; grandparents Martin and Marion Mayer of Kent; grandparents Don and Marilyn Tinius of Camano Island; many aunts and uncles and cousins. Hundreds of friends, church families, her AA family, instructors and classmates, co-workers and patients will forever cherish her memory and how she touched their lives.

A celebrative memorial service for Sarah and Marcus will be held at 1 p.m. Jan. 17 at Christ the King Community Church, 2111 Riverside Drive, Mount Vernon.

In lieu of flowers, bequests can be made to the Mayer Memorial Fund (acct #: 3903139314/route # 125107765) at Banner Bank, P.O. Box 1850, Point Roberts, WA 98281.