Sarah Elizabeth Jennings

Sarah Elizabeth Jennings, known to most as Sally, brought excellence to all of her pursuits. From motherhood to grandmotherhood, from spirituality to genealogy: whether writing a thank-you note, preparing for a family event, or researching someone’s family history, Sally pursued these endeavors with zeal and perfection, passion and precision.

Sally was born on October 12, 1941, in Luling, Texas, the youngest of three children to Helen and James Jennings. When she was seven years old, her father packed his family and all of their belongings into two trucks and drove to a 40-acre property west of South Fork, Colorado.

Sally, along with her older brother and sister (James Jennings and Joy Pierce), helped to construct the ranch’s log cabins and run the tourist business called Moon Valley Ranch, which still exists today. Sally led customers on horseback tours through the Weminuche Wilderness. Later in life, she would share her memories of growing up in the harsh Colorado winters, such as ice on the inside of windows and taking turns standing over the heating vent.

Sally attended Del Norte High School and graduated at the top of her class of 35 students in 1959, before attending Colorado State University and obtaining a degree in education with a summa cum laude distinction. She was a member of the Kappa Delta sorority.

After marrying Gregory “Mike” Aden, Sally eventually found herself back in Texas, raising her three children (Jarrod, John and Joy Aden) on Shady Grove, near an old mill pond in Piney Point Village of Houston. Her children will always appreciate the opportunities and guidance their mother gave them while growing up in such a loving and supportive environment. Sally always actively took pleasure and pride in her children’s activities and accomplishments.

A deeply spiritual person, Sally was a regular attendee, supporter, and volunteer at Memorial Drive Presbyterian church. Sally worked for Santa Fe Energy Resources as an analyst and retired after approximately 25 years of service there. But it will be perhaps her work in retirement that she may be truly remembered.

Sally was an avid genealogist. Using her meticulous and perfectionist qualities, Sally conducted extensive research of many branches of her and her children’s family histories. Consequently, Sally was able to obtain membership for her grandchildren (Mackenzie and Chase Aden, Ryan and Josh Galaviz, and Desmond Graham-Aden) into the Children of the Republic of Texas. And through her generosity and passion, Sally was able to help many others, in and out of the extended family, to find their ancestors and achieve membership in the Sons and Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

Sally was a member of the Moon-McGehee Chapter (in San Marcos) of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, and served as the chapter president before she became ill with cancer. Sally was also a very active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (Ol’ Shavano Chapter) and the United Daughters of the Confederacy (Albert Sidney Johnson Chapter).

In addition to her passion for genealogy, Sally also loved opera, playing board games with her family, watching PBS series, and visiting with her grandkids. Holidays at Sally’s house were very memorable, where “Grandma” would pass down family traditions like scrambled eggs on Christmas Eve and “grinching” the stockings and Christmas tree.

Sarah Elizabeth Jennings passed away on Friday, September 19, after complications from Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Thankfully, her daughter, Joy, was at her side as she passed peacefully.

Even though Sally will be greatly missed, her children and grandchildren will always be thankful for Sally’s examples of love, compassion, and hard work. Her children agree that Sally’s gentle qualities live on in their own kids.

Sally will be interred at Humphreys Cemetery outside of Martindale, Texas, to rest near her parents and ancestors.

Sally is survived by her siblings, her children, and their families.

In lieu of flowers, Sally had requested that donations be made to the building fund at her San Antonio spiritual home at Covenant Presbyterian Church (www.covenantcares.org).

Arrangements under the direction of Sunset North Funeral Home, San Antonio, TX.