Sarah Elizabeth Mcabee

Sarah died April 6 of heart failure at Cedarhurst of Topeka. She was predeceased by her husband of 50 years, Garland A. McAbee; son, Mark Alan McAbee and her siblings. Sarah was raised in Emporia, Kansas. She was educated at the Kansas State Normal School (now Emporia State University) in an advanced program built for primary students, followed by secondary education at Emporia High School, class of 1944.

Sarah Elizabeth (Shearer) McAbee was born in Emporia, Kansas on January 1, 1927 to Lawrence Monroe Shearer, Sr. and Mable Elizabeth (French) Shearer. She was the youngest of five siblings: Rosalind Temple, Lawrence M. Shearer, Jr., Osborne W. Shearer, and Dora M. Decker, all deceased.

Sarah is survived by her children, Diana Tyler and husband Harry Tyler of Melbourne, Australia, David McAbee and wife Janice McAbee of Topeka and Phoenix, Philip McAbee of Topeka and Russell McAbee and wife Brenda McAbee of Silver Lake; as well as seven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Her father ran a newspaper business of up to 16 small newspapers for towns in the vicinity of Emporia as well as the Emporia Times. It was a family operation with Sarah becoming a proofreader and linotype operator as a teenager, working in those capacities later at the Daily Capitol of Topeka. After graduating from Emporia High School, she worked at the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant until WWII ended.

After her marriage to Garland A. McAbee in 1946 and while working part-time at the Daily Capitol, she had the primary occupation of raising five children. Sarah always kept a vegetable garden with fruits and flowers. Later, she joined the Queen of Spades Garden Club, becoming a long-time member, office holder, active flower show participant and eventually a judge of those exhibitions. Over the course of her life, from Model T's on, her enjoyment of driving lasted until her early 90's. She loved travel, with trips to Germany and France in her 60's and in her 70's to China, Ecuador and the Galapagos, Portugal, and Costa Rica. She enjoyed watercolor painting and was a very capable flower arranger with many purple and blue ribbons to her credit. She was a formidable crossword puzzler, trivia player, Scrabble player and terrific storyteller.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, April 12th at 11:00 a.m. at Dove Cremations and Funerals Southwest Chapel, 3700 SW Wanamaker Road in Topeka. Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery, 3616 SW 6th Avenue in Topeka. The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Topeka and Shawnee Co. Public Library 1515 SW 10th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66604-1374 or KTWU Channel 11, 1700 SW College Avenue, Topeka, KS 66621.

Sarah's service will be livestreamed at the scheduled service time. Click here to view the service.

Dove Cremations and Funerals Southwest Chapel is assisting the family.

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