Sarah H. Godby

Sarah Evelyn Holder Godby, 92, of Somerset, KY passed away peacefully at her home on December 26, 2018.

Sarah was born in Somerset, KY to James Pierce and Mabel (Claunch) Holder on September 17, 1926. She was the oldest of four children. After graduating from Nancy High School in 1942, she attended and graduated from Sue Bennett College. She then went on to attend Eastern Kentucky University where she received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. Sarah began her teaching career at the age of 18, at a two-room school house in Saline. She spent one year teaching at Yates in Lexington. In 1986, when Parker School closed, after 41 years as an educator, she retired from Somerset Independent Schools. She was a long-time member of West Somerset Baptist Church where she was active in the choir and the Over 40 Sunday School Class. Sarah was a member of Kentucky Retired Teachers Association, Pulaski County Retired Teachers, and Daughters of the American Revolution where she served as Secretary for several years.

Sarah touched innumerable young lives during her time as an educator, even teaching the children and grandchildren of former students. She loved flowers and working in her yard. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, neighbor, and friend. She enjoyed meeting people, learning all about them and spending time with them. She never met a stranger.

She married Coye Perkins Godby on July 31, 1954 in Somerset, KY. They had two daughters, Patricia Ann (Patty) and Marsha Jane (Janie). They had one granddaughter, Sarah Elizabeth, born in 1981. In 2009, Sarah welcomed her twin great grandchildren, Silas William and Emmeline Susann, into the family.

She is survived by her daughters, Patricia Ann (Bill) Canon, Marsha Jane (Randy) Ison, her granddaughter Sarah Elizabeth (Aaron) Walther, her great grandchildren, Silas William and Emmeline Susann Walther, and her sister Mary Salvicy Thompson and sister-in-law Bea Holder. Sarah is also survived by a host of nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James Pierce and Mabel (Claunch) Holder, her beloved husband of 49 years, Coye Perkins Godby and her brothers, James Paul Holder and William Thomas Holder, sister-in-law Betty Woodall Holder and brother-in-law Cecil Thompson, and her beloved neighbors and friends, Charlie and Grace Pierce.

A celebration of the life of Sarah Godby will be held on Monday, December 31^st at 10:00 am at Pulaski Funeral Home, with Bro Larry Butte officiating. She will be buried at West Somerset Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5pm to 8pm on Sunday, December 30^th at Pulaski Funeral Home.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy take the form of donations to Project 58:10.

Pulaski Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.