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Thank you for coming to share in the celebration of life of our very own Sarah Belle Evans, who was born on August 5, 1936, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, to Willie Raleigh Hunt and Lydia Sarah Hunt.
Everyone who has known her loves her dearly, to some of us she is Aunt Sarah, to her siblings she is Sarah Belle, to her daughter she is Mom, and to her, probably favorite humans on the planet, she is Grammy, and then there was a story or two that her name was Sarah Belly. No matter what you called her, you knew exactly who she was—a woman who loved deeply, cared fiercely, and knew in times of trouble, she had your back!.
I asked some of those who loved her to describe her, the adjectives flew out so fast, I’m sure i missed a few: ornery, jokester, selfless, warrior, caring, nurturing, animal lover, loved flowers and gardening, and devoted grandmother. Above all else, she loved her family and never missed an opportunity to brag about her grandchildren, who were truly the light of her life.
Sarah Belle was preceded in death by her parents, Willie Rollie Hunt and Lydia Sarah Hunt; her brothers Willie Hunt and Johnny Hunt, her sister Tressa Hunt, husband David Evans and her beloved son, Billy Joe Hughes.
She leaves behind a family who love her dearly and will cherish every memory of her forever: her sisters Mary Chambers, Betty Sellers and husband Tom, Billie Boyd and husband Jesse, Shirley Mossier and husband Jody, and brother Charlie Hunt and wife Starlet; her daughter Jana Fulton and husband Scott; her grandchildren Amber Penn and Greyson, Trevor Fulton and Allie, and Madison Pierce and Michael; and her great-grandchildren Millie and Eli Pierce and a sweet baby that is still baking and will join the family in December, as well as many nieces, nephews, greats, and extended family members, and friends whose lives were touched by her love, her sass, her spunk, and her joy of life.
Sarah Belle’s life took her many places. She lived in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, nearly two decades in California from 1959 to 1976, and later made her home in Owasso, Oklahoma. Along the way, she wore many hats and mastered many skills.
She worked as a cosmetologist, even owning her own beauty shop in Tulsa called Coiffures of Today. She also worked as a cosmetologist during her years in California. One of her favorite jobs she ever had was assembling transistor radios. She trained horses at the Red Fezz Riding Club, helped run a dairy with her sister Mary in Broken Arrow, and later worked as a photo technician at Walmart. I personally remember that the highlight of a trip to Walmart was stopping by the photo department to see if Aunt Sarah was working. This was also something Charlton mentioned in a phone conversation we had as we were reminiscing about our memories of Aunt Sarah. He said he recalled driving to the “far off” Wal-Mart just to see her.
No matter what she did for a living, she poured her whole heart into it.
And if there was one thing everyone knew, it was that you did not mess with her family.
One story perfectly captures who she was. When her baby brother Johnny came home from school crying because a girl kept picking on him, Sarah Belle decided she'd had enough. The next morning, she decided she would take him to school, she confronted the girl about being mean to her baby brother, and may have popped her on the head with Johnny's lunch pail. Needless to say, Johnny never had tears because of that girl again. Sarah Belle always protected the people she loved, and she never backed down when it came to family.
That fierce love extended beyond her own family. While living in California, there were three neighbor children who were often left alone after their parents divorced. Every morning, she made breakfast and set three extra places at her table so those children could start their day with a warm meal and someone who cared about them. One of those children, a little boy, would often knock on her door and ask, "Sawah, Will you play with me?" And every single time, she did. That was Sarah Belle. If a child needed attention, comfort, or simply someone to spend time with them, she was there.
She was also incredibly talented. She loved sewing and often made matching outfits for herself and her daughter Jana. Jana specifically remembers a one-piece bell-bottom pantsuit that Sarah Belle made for them. It was her favorite outfit, and a treasured memory she will never forget.
Sarah Belle was known as a phenomenal cook. Family members still talk about her meals and especially her famous peanut brittle and specialty cakes. There was very little she couldn't cook—although if you asked her to make a pie crust, that might have been a different story!
She loved gardening and planting flowers. She truly enjoyed watching hummingbirds visit her yard. Family remembers her always asking each year if they had seen a hummingbird yet, and her response was always, “I have.” if you know her at all, you know exactly the way she said this and the contagious chuckle that accompanied it. She loved her dogs and all animals really. Over the years there was Roscoe Number One, Roscoe Number Two, Bandit, and Little Tina, and many other beloved pets that I’m sure I missed the names of. I specifically remember her turtle, Jimbo, whom she cared for more than 30 years. I’m pretty sure owning a huge pet turtle wins you the “best aunt ever” award.
She had a playful spirit and a wonderful sense of humor. I’m sure there are at least a few who remembers her famous booty dance, which could bring laughter to any room. She was always ready with a hug, a laugh, and often a little bit of mischief. Goodness, don’t even get me started on what the “sisters” were like when you got them together. It is seriously a wonder they never got kicked out of restaurants and stores. No matter how old they got, you get them together and its an absolute hoot.
And if you ever talked to Sarah Belle on the phone, you know one thing for certain: she always wanted to know how you were doing and how each specific person was. There was not, how is everybody, it was each person name by name. She didn't ask out of habit—she genuinely cared. Every person mattered to her. And she never ended a conversation without saying, "I love you."
Those words became one of the greatest gifts she gave all of us.
Sorry, another story, this one perfectly captures her selflessness. At one point she bought a large pile of dirt which sat in the corner of her yard. Year after year, it sat there untouched. Jana assumed it was for gardening because Sarah Belle loved gardeing so much. Finally, Jana asked, "What are you going to do with that pile of dirt? You have had it for so long and haven’t done anything with it"
Her mom replied that the only reason she bought it was so Trevor would have a place to play with his cars, trucks and tractors.
That dirt pile never had anything to do with gardening. It was simply another way she could bring joy to someone she loved.
That was Sarah Belle, always thinking of someone else.
Family also remembers when they would visit Oklahoma from California and she would become impatient once they got to the corner right before their destination she would say, “Let me out here. I can run there faster than you can get me there."
That determination, independence, and spirit stayed with her throughout her life.
Today, while we mourn her absence, we also celebrate a life that was full of laughter, hard work, generosity, and unconditional love. We celebrate a woman who protected her family, cared for everyone she knew, opened her home to others, nurtured animals and flowers, danced when she felt like dancing, and loved with her whole heart.
The greatest legacy Sarah Belle leaves behind is not found in the places she lived or the jobs she held. It is found in the people she loved and the countless lives she touched through simple acts of kindness.
As we leave here today, may we remember her example. May we care for others the way she did. May we protect our families the way she did. May we find joy in simple things, laugh often, love deeply, and never end a conversation without telling the people we love exactly how we feel.
And so today, we say goodbye to our beloved Sarah Belle here on earth—but we carry her stories, her laughter, her strength, and her love with us forever.
We love you, Aunt Sarah Belle, and we always will.
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