Funeral services for Sara Thomas Bullard, 92, of Wills Point, were held Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, at Russell Memorial United Methodist Church.. Services were under the direction of Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home.

Sara Thomas Bullard passed away in her sleep on Oct. 11, 2021, at the age of 92.

She was born in Navasota, Texas, on Aug. 24, 1929, the daughter of Charles E. Thomas and Adelia Heberd Thomas.

She graduated from Kilgore High School and was the Kilgore Duchess in the 1947 Tyler Rose Festival. She attended Kilgore College and was an officer in the 1946 Rangerette squad, representing Kilgore in the Little Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The next year, she became captain of the Rangerettes. Sara met the love of her life, Bill Bullard, when he played football for the Kilgore Rangers. They were married for 42 years, until Bill’s passing in 1991.

Sara and Bill loved traveling, camping, and playing golf. They built their house on Lake Tawakoni in 1965 to retire in but that plan changed when life blessed them with two daughters. Sara was a part of her children’s lives though school, church, and social activities. She worked in the Wills Point ISD system to stay close to them until they graduated.

After her husband died, she filled her life with helping family, friends, and volunteering. She often cooked someone a delicious meal or one of her famous lemonade icebox pies. She volunteered at the Terrell Library and checked out every mystery book they had. Russell Memorial UMC played a large part in her life. Sara helped start and manage the prayer shawl ministry and personally knitted well over 100 shawls. She sang in the choir and served on vestry committees. Despite her busy schedule, Sara never missed watching a Texas Rangers or Dallas Cowboys game. She is remembered for her boundless energy, service to others, independence, resourcefulness, bravery, and infectious laugh.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, and her younger sister, Sug Barber. Left to cherish her memory are her daughters, Rena Fockler (Mark), Dee Ann Campbell (Tom); her grandchildren, Craig, Mikala, Sara Lily, and Will; many nieces and nephews and her dear friends Maxine Paige, Judy Powers, and Fritz Gilbreth.

In lieu of flowers, memorials should be directed to your local library, Saint Jude’s Hospital, Russell Memorial UMC Prayer Shawl Ministry, or the Salvation Army.