Sabra Hughley
Sabra Louise (Rutherford) Hughey, 82, of Sprott, passed peacefully into heaven on December 19, 2012.
Sabra was born in Perry County, Alabama on June 13, 1930, the daughter of Jeff and Verna (Lawson) Rutherford. It was a Friday the 13th, the luckiest of days for all who would come to know and love Sabra over the years. Although she spent her entire life within a small radius of her birthplace, her influence traveled far and wide as she touched the lives of so many with her kindness and caring.
Whether they came to know her as a leader in the Suttle PTA, the Ephesus GA or WMU, as a Sunday School teacher, through her years working at Judson College or the Sprott Post Office, as a family member or a friend, or even as a patient bravely facing a serious illness, everyone who ever met Sabra was impressed with her warm smile, her gracious Southern charm, and her unselfish ways. She always put others’ needs before her own and did her best to serve God in every way. In the last days of her life, so many people called or wrote to tell her that she had been an important Christian role model for them. It humbled her greatly to know that she had made a difference in the world.
Sabra married John Allen Hughey on December 18, 1948. They had a wonderful life together for over half a century and when John Allen passed away in 2000, she missed him so very much. In the years since then, Sabra traveled with family to Disney World, flew to New York a few times, spent lots of holidays and other special occasions in Mobile, vacationed with siblings at the coast, visited regularly with folks at Southland Nursing Home, continued to be an active and faithful member of Ephesus Baptist Church, and accomplished all kinds of things that she never would have thought she could do on her own.
When Sabra was diagnosed with cancer, she made the difficult decision to leave her community for the care and comfort that she could receive at the residence of her daughter in Oneonta, New York. Since August, she has made her home there, although her heart always remained firmly ensconced in the Sprott and Ephesus communities. Messages of love came to Sabra daily from her family and friends all around the country, proving that time and distance can never dim the light of a vibrant soul. The thoughts and prayers and love eased this final leg of the journey in countless ways.
Sabra is survived by her son, John Allen Hughey Jr., daughter-in-law, Janet (Vignes) Hughey, and grandchildren, Sarah Maples (Jonathan) and John Allen Hughey III; her daughter, Cathryn (Hughey) James, daughter-in-law, Patricia Knuth, honorary granddaughter, Heather Nemitz, and honorary great grandson, Rylie Nemitz; her sisters, Addie Warren (George), Ann Wright (Carl), and Emilie Pearson; her brother William Rutherford (JoAnn); a special sister-in-law, Annie B. Huey; numerous devoted nieces and nephews; and so very many close friends and church family in Sprott.
Funeral services will take place at Ephesus Baptist Church on Thursday, December 27, at 2 pm, with interment immediately following in the church cemetery with Kirk Funeral Homes Marion Chapel directing. Sabra’s family will receive visitors at the church one hour prior to the service.
All obituaries taken from the website of corresponding funeral home unless otherwise noted.