Sarah Joyce Welch Elder

October 18, 1934 – July 15, 2026

A Life Well Lived

If you wanted to know Sarah Joyce Welch Elder, you probably wouldn’t begin with where she lived or where she worked. You’d begin with her laugh. Sarah had a quick wit and an easy smile. She found humor in everyday moments and delighted in making others laugh. Family and friends remember her as someone who could brighten a room with a joke, a story, or simply her joyful spirit. Music was another thread woven throughout her life. She loved to sing and shared that gift in the choirs at Greater Cleveland Avenue Christian Church and later at Winston-Salem First Assembly of God. Singing was more than a hobby—it was an expression of her faith and a way she connected with her church family.

And then there was shopping—not just shopping, but the thrill of finding a bargain. Sarah loved yard sales, thrift stores, and hidden treasures. Whether she actually needed what she found was almost beside the point. She simply enjoyed the excitement of discovering something special at an incredible price. Her family quickly learned that if there was a bargain to be found, Sarah would find it.

Sarah was born in Walnut Cove, North Carolina, on October 18, 1934, to Frank and Thelma Joyce Welch. As a young woman, she met John Henry Elder, a decorated United States Air Force serviceman. They married in 1961 and built a life together that reflected the adventure and sacrifice of military service. Along with their children, Boris and Shibana, they lived in several places throughout John’s career, including Okinawa, Japan; Wichita, Kansas; and Goldsboro, North Carolina before eventually returning to Winston-Salem to put down permanent roots.

Sarah dedicated much of her working life to caring for others as a Transportation Aide at Whitaker Care Center at Forsyth Memorial Hospital. Her compassion, kindness, and warm personality touched countless patients and coworkers throughout the years. Family was always at the center of Sarah’s life. She celebrated milestones, treasured time together, and never lost her sense of humor. Even in her nineties, photographs captured the same bright smile that had become so familiar to everyone who loved her.

Sarah’s husband, John, had a habit of writing the names of family members directly on photographs and picture frames, determined that no face would ever be forgotten. Those pictures became more than keepsakes—they became pieces of a family’s history. Today, those photographs, the stories they tell, and the memories shared by those who knew Sarah ensure that her life will continue to be remembered. Not simply for the places she lived or the work she did, but for the laughter she shared, the songs she sang, the bargains she couldn’t resist, and the love she gave so freely to her family and friends. Her story lives on in all who knew and loved her.

Sarah was preceded in death by her husband, John Henry Elder; mother, Thelma Welch and father, Frank Welch; and step-daughter, Patricia Elder.

She is survived by her son, Boris Elder (wife, Melissa) of Winston Salem, North Carolina; and daughter, Shibana Cutter (husband, Horace) of Newnan, Georgia; seven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren; her sisters, Shirley Devonshire and Barbara Friday; and many nieces and nephews.

A viewing will be held on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 from 1:00PM – 5:00PM at Russell Funeral Home.

Sarah’s life will be celebrated at Winston Salem First Church on Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 11:00 AM. Interment will follow at Salisbury National Cemetery at 1:30 PM. Loved ones and friends are invited to share in a moment of remembrance prior to the Celebration of Life from 10:00AM until 10:55AM.