Sarah Smithson Dailey

SARAH MARGARET (SMITHSON) DAILEY

Sarah Margaret (Smithson) Dailey, 86 years, of Shawnee, KS, went home to be with the Lord peacefully on Saturday, March 6, 2021. She was born April 17, 1934, in Randolph County, IN to the late Hobart Garrett and Marjorie Mae (Glasgow) Smithson.

Sarah received her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, with a minor in English from Bob Jones University and went on to receive her Master’s degree from Ball State University. She met her life-time love Larry Dailey at BJU, and they were married on August 24, 1958. They moved several times throughout their nearly 49 years of marriage living in the following locations: McKenzie, TN; Jacksonville, IL; Green Lake, WI; Scottsboro, AL; Ottawa, KS; Peoria, IL; Emporia, KS; Brookings, SD; Memphis, TN and McKenzie, TN. They both retired in 2001 after building their final retirement lake home in Sunrise Beach, MO. Larry preceded her in death in 2007. In 2014, Sarah made her final move to Shawnee, KS to be closer to family.

Sarah was a college instructor/assistant professor for ten years in Education/English at Bethel College. She was also special education teacher for over 30 years, focusing on elementary aged children. She enjoyed a lifelong love of reading, learning, teaching and serving others. Sarah was loved by so many people from her churches and professional organizations (like American Association of University Women, the PEO and the DAR); several church committees, Sunday School teacher and Choir.

Sarah was also preceded in death by her brother David Smithson. Additional survivors include her three sons, David Dailey and his wife, Terri, of St. Louis, MO; Brian Dailey and his wife, Teresa, of Merriam, KS and Dean Dailey, of Shawnee, KS; a sister-in-law, Joyce Smith, of Hamburg, AR; two brothers-in-law, Clennon Dailey and his wife, Nellie, of Martin, TN. and Ken Dailey and his wife, Susan, of Walkerville, AR; seven nieces, Connie and her husband Kevin Keefe; Jackie and her husband John Blankenbaker; Cindi and her husband Jim Perkins, Laura (and late husband Scott Ferrell); Debbie and her partner Jackie Wallace; Dinah and her husband Mike Nelson; Jessica and her husband James Cranford; one nephew, Don Dailey and his wife Natalie and five grandchildren, Caitlin and her husband, Navarre Strapp, of Cameron, MO; Kody Dailey of Waterloo, IA; Kayla Dailey of Merriam, KS; Madeline Dailey of Denver, CO and Garrett Dailey of Overland Park, KS.

Sarah was also preceded in death by her other family members, Sylvester (Uncle) and Jessie (Gaga) Killebrew. Additional family survivors include Jean and Joe McKinnie; Kim and Eddie (Squeaky) Moss; and numerous friends throughout West Tennessee.

We invite families and friends to join us in celebrating Sarah’s life on Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 11:00 am at McKenzie First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, McKenzie, TN, Rev. Garrett Burns officiating. Visitation will be at 10:00 am (one hour prior to the service time). Burial will be at Carroll Memorial Gardens in McKenzie, TN, after the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to McKenzie First Cumberland Presbyterian Church at 16835 Highland Drive, McKenzie, TN 38201.