Sara Emma (Vaughan) Eby
Jul 13, 1918 - Nov 10, 2011
Posted by: Jo Aguirre

http://www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com

Funeral services Mrs. Sara Eby, age 93, of Norman will begin at 2:00 pm Monday, November 14, 2011 at the First Baptist Church of Noble, 330 East Chestnut with Reverend John Allen and Pastor Cleve Hailey officiating.

The Eby family will greet friends from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Sunday, November 13, 2011 at the Havenbrook Funeral Home, 3401 Havenbrook Street in Norman.

Sara Emma Vaughan Eby was born on July 13, 1918 in Tulsa, Oklahoma the daughter of James Thomas and Ura Lee (Duncan) Vaughan, the oldest of three daughters. She passed away Thursday, November 10, 2011 at the Norman Regional Hospital.
Sara was raised in Okmulgee, Oklahoma attending Okmulgee Public Schools, graduating from high school there in 1936. She later attended Okmulgee Junior College for two years and Okmulgee Business School for one year.

She was united in marriage to Mr. Elmer Eby in 1940 in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. Sara's career began in 1942, during World War II, when she worked for Boeing Aircraft in Seattle, while her husband was on active duty in the Marine Corps. After the war, she moved to New Orleans where she worked for the Caballero and Roger CPA firm and also for rabbinical scholar and author, Dr. Israel H. Weisfeld . She also played the organ in the Presbyterian Church.

It wasn't easy working for the CPA firm. She would take a bus to the ferry landing in Algiers, Louisiana, ferry across the Mississippi River, ride a street car almost to the end of the line and back again in the evenings. She did this for 18 years.
During her lunch hour one afternoon while working for Dr. Weisfeld, Sara made a trip to the grocery store. Without thinking, she bought a packet of pork chops and placed them in the company refrigerator. The rabbi was horrified to see the pork chops and a special ceremony was held to cleanse the refrigerator.

While in New Orleans, Sara's daughter, Jeanine, met and married an Oklahoma boy in the military, Dennis Rainwater. The couple moved to Norman so Rainwater could attend the University of Oklahoma. Soon, Sara's son, Jimmy, moved to Norman and Sara followed in 1981.

Sara worked for her daughter at the Park On Main office complex as the secretarial service, doing secretarial work for all the tenants. During this time she typed hundreds of student term papers. She remembered with great fondness the interaction she had with the students.
In 1985, Sara began working as a personal assistant with Marshall Hawkins and Governmental Finance of Oklahoma. After 23 years of service, Sara retired on June 27, 2008. Sara very much enjoyed her time with the Marshall firm, often remarking that the Marshall family had become like family to her.

After her retirement, Sara did not sit idle. She often helped her daughter, Jeanine, type various reports and she just loved experiencing Norman and especially football season.

Sara is survived by her daughter, Jeanine Rainwater of Norman; her son, Jim Eby and his wife, Peggy of Norman; three grandchildren, Glen Rainwater and his wife, Lori of Rapid City, South Dakota; Kirk Eby and his wife, Devona of Moore, OK; and Chad Eby and his wife, Heather of Frisco, TX; four great grandchildren, Madison Rainwater, Brooks Rainwater, Adara Eby and Aiden Eby.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Elmer Eby in 1991; one grandson, Michael James Rainwater in 1963 and two sisters, Lucille Ross and Margaret Vaughan.

Burial will conclude in the Noble IOOF Cemetery in Noble, Oklahoma. Arrangements for Sara and her family were placed in the care of the Vice family at Havenbrook Funeral Home of Norman.