Sara Sears

Sara Potts Sears, 92, of Edgefield, SC, died Tuesday, October 21, 2025.

Sara was born September 20, 1933, in Ringgold, GA, the eldest daughter of James Conley and Eugenia Ruth Bailey Potts. As a child, she shepherded her younger sisters Jo and Jimmie down Potts Hill to catch the school bus each morning at Beaumont Spring. Sara won 4-H awards with her prize calf, Beautiful Caster Fern. Sara attended The University of Georgia, where she was awarded bachelor's and master's degrees, obtaining professional certifications in Elementary Education and Speech and Language Pathology. And it was in Athens, GA, while in graduate school, that she was introduced by a mutual friend to their fellow neighbor at The Bon Cam apartments, Marvin Hugh Sears, III, a young Architect also at UGA seeking a master's in art history and recently having returned from a trip to the Mayan ruins in Central America. Sara and Marv were married April 28, 1968, on their lunch hour and lived happily together for 50 years until his death on April 21, 2018.

She was a lifelong educator - she taught in elementary school classrooms at public schools in GA and SC at various stages of her career; she worked in the stroke rehab program at Siskin Rehabilitation Hospital, Chattanooga, TN; and after moving from Austin, TX to Edgefield, SC, she served as a Speech and Language Pathologist for Aiken County School System for more than 30 years, primarily at North Augusta Elementary School. Her speech screening program of Kindergarteners meant that every student met her at least once, and many remembered her for years. Grocery shopping with her at the stores around North Augusta was like shopping with a rock star - bag boys and cashiers all approached her to say hello.

Sara was an active member of Edgefield United Methodist Church since 1973, teaching 1st and 2nd grade Sunday School for more than 30 years. In retirement, Sara volunteered with many organizations in Edgefield, including the Old 96 District Chapter of DAR, Edgefield County Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary, Edgefield Camellia Club, and Les Dames de Fleurs. She enjoyed attending lectures as a member of the Edgefield County Historical Society. She was an active member of her book club and avid gardener and bird watcher. Sara remained close to both of her sisters her whole life - she and her sister Jimmie talked daily on the phone to do the Jumble puzzle together from the newspaper.

Sara is survived by her daughter, Hannah Sears Gillard (Bubba) of Edgefield and Mount Pleasant, SC and by her granddaughter, Sarah Catherine Inabinet Gillard of Mount Pleasant and Edinburgh, Scotland. She is also survived by her sister, Jimmie Raper (Miles); her sister-in-law, Donna Roper Canada; and her nieces, nephews and cousins. Sara was preceded in death by her husband, parents and her sister, Jo Marlow.

A Memorial Service will be held 2:00 PM, Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at Edgefield United Methodist Church, 309 Norris Street, Edgefield, SC. Interment at Westover Cemetery in Augusta, GA will be held privately by the family at a later date.

Contributions in her memory may be made to Edgefield United Methodist Church, PO Box 25, Edgefield, SC 29824 or to the charity of your choice.

Arrangements by James A. McAlister, Inc. (843) 766-1365.