Sarah Dunkum Thomas, 95, of Dillwyn, departed this life on Sunday, January 10, 2016 and gained her angel wings.  She was born on December 28, 1920, the eighth child of W. Elijah and Rosa Dunkum.  She was preceded in death by her husband, George Gordon Thomas.

She is survived by her loving daughter and son-in-law, Alice and Benjamin Gormus, of Dillwyn; three granddaughters and their husbands, Crystal and Chuck Martin, Denise and Jamie Bryant, and Evelyn and Massie Bryant, all of Dillwyn.  Her true pride and joy were her six great-grandchildren, Eli Bryant, Ethan Martin, Grace Martin, Sarah Bryant, Dakota Bryant, and Ashlyn Bryant.  She is also survived by her sister, Pauline LeSueur and her brother, W. Eldon Dunkum, along with a host of adoring nieces and nephews.

Sarah lived each day to the fullest and was always up for a new adventure.  She took great pride in being the only person in her family to finish high school. She graduated from Dillwyn High School in 1938, which was not common in her day.  In her early years, Sarah worked at William’s Store and then later at Buckingham Farm Supply.  She loved the outdoors and had a passion for gardening.  In the spring and summer you could always find her outside tending to her vegetable garden and flowerbeds.  Sarah also loved fishing.  She would sit for hours watching that red and white bobber basking in the sunlight.  Sarah also had a love of music and played the banjo, guitar and piano.  Over the years, she even wrote a few songs and had some of her poetry published.

Sarah enjoyed traveling.  At 91, she fulfilled a lifelong dream by visiting the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas.  Sarah loved sports and was a self-proclaimed “tom boy” in her early years.  In particular, she had a love of baseball and immensely enjoyed watching games at the local ballpark from her spot just beyond the fence behind home plate.  Sarah also had a wonderful sense of humor and was always laughing.  She had a quick wit and would crack jokes to anyone that would listen. 

Her legacy is one of kindness and compassion.  She could always find something positive in any situation.  Her words and actions were always kind in a way that was reflective of not only her gentle demeanor but also her strong faith in God.  She was a lifelong member of Browns Chapel United Methodist Church and regularly shared her faith with those around her. 

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, January 12 from 5–7 p.m. at Dunkum Funeral Home.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, January 13 at Browns Chapel United Methodist Church with internment in the church cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Browns Chapel UMC Cemetery Fund or to the Buckingham County Volunteer Rescue Squad.

Dunkum Funeral Home, Dillwyn, is in charge of arrangements. www.dunkumfuneralhome.com