Sarah Odessa Austin, 98, was born in Greenville, South Carolina on September 18, 1925, the sixth of  nine children born to Broadus and Blanch Evans. On Wednesday, November 9, 2022, God called our Loving Mother and Grandmother home to rest in his Loving arms after a brief illness.

She attended Greenville, South Carolina Public Schools. Her family migrated to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, before WWII. During WWII, Sarah relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she was employed by Containers Corporation of America. In the late 1940's Sarah Austin returned to Winston-Salem and married her loving husband, Mr. Joe Hardin Austin, and they were blessed with six children: Katherine, Diane, Peggy, Reginald, Richard, and Robert.

Since 1963 Sarah Austin has reaped great satisfaction and numerous awards, including the highest level of sales as an Avon Representative. She continued to sell Avon products until the day she became ill in 2022. Equally impressive in the late 1960's Mrs. Austin obtained her high school diploma at Anderson High School of Winston-Salem. For 60 years, she has been a faithful member of First Calvary Baptist Church where she was involved with the Missionary Circle and the Outreach Evangelistic Ministry. Sarah was also a member of the Dunleith Avenue Good Neighborhood Club and helped found the Neighborhood Watch Program in the 1990's.

Sarah Austin was preceded in death by her loving husband, Joe Austin; parents, Broadus and Blanche Evans; her daughter, Diane Hall; son-in-law, Melrose Hall; five brothers, Alvin (Lucille), Broadus (Alice), Manuel (Montea), Horace, and Wadell (Ruby) Evans; two sisters, Annie Hayes and Willie Mae Finnley; brother-in-law; daughter-in-law, Alvonia Austin; and three grandchildren, Robin Hall, Jalik Austin, and Aubrey Smallwood.

She leaves to cherish her LEGACY  very devoted daughters, Katherine (Patrick) Bohannon and Peggy (Willie) Montgomery; three loving sons, Joseph (Dorothy) Austin, Richard (Tamiko) Austin, and Robert (Nancy) Austin; a loving sister, Gussie Taylor; two sisters-in-law, Barbara Evans and Mildred Seacry; loving, devoted grandchildren, Rovia (Demetrius), Brandon (Demetraus), Christopher, LaJessica, Chauntea, Joe, Danielle, Ariel, Demetria, Shinika, Takisha (Antuane) Wright, Jamal Blackwell and Shefye (Jae)Sims; great-grands, Jasmin, Jiwan (Brinesha), Juateria, LaJessica , JeQuan, Chakayla, Byrce, Jakier, Cierria, Kierria, Jazeriah, Jahmi, Jaelynn, Cameron, Drake and Jakari Blackwell, and Rodeney Davis; great-great-grands, Jadakiss, Jhamari, JaTravis, Jeremiah, Jiwan, Jr., Jakyneli, Jakayla, Jekhi, Journei, Jalik, Jr., Jequan, Jr., John, Jr., Jair, Liam, T'Ari , Alani, and Alaya; two great-great-great grands, Na'Yomi and Kayson; extended grands, Rashon, Sharie, Aliyah, Isaiah, Sjamona, Patrick, Jr., Tyvianni, Iziphani, Tiayikafince, and Micheal; bonus daughter, Yvonne Breaux; bonus granddaughter, Mahogany(Amani) Jackson; legacy of loved ones, Barbara Cockerham, Phyillis Manning, and Patricia Dean; other relatives and friends.

A viewing will be held from 1:00pm until 5:00pm Friday, November 18, 2022 at Russell Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 12noon Saturday, November 19, 2022 at First Calvary Baptist Church with Reverend Derwin Montgomery officiating.  Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.  The family visitation will be held from 11:00am until 12noon on Saturday at the Church.

The family wishes to extend special thanks to her caregivers, Cynthia Bradshaw and Cynthia Sharp.