Sarah A. Hale

Sarah Ann Long Hale, 79, of Chattanooga, TN, and Athens, AL, went to her heavenly home on Friday, January 5, 2024. Sarah passed away at The Health Center at Standifer Place in Chattanooga after a long battle with kidney disease.

A cherished mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin and godmother, Sarah was preceded in death by her mother and father, Julia Mai Goff Long and Oddest H. Long; sister, Margaret Long Carter of Fayetteville, TN; niece, Anna Carter of Fayetteville, TN; and her son, Robert (Rob) Hale of Chattanooga.

Sarah is survived by her grandchildren, Andrew (Drew) Hale of Chicago, IL, Emma Hale of Chattanooga, and Clayton (Clay) Hale of Chattanooga; daughter-in-law, Missy Hale-Cooper of Chattanooga; nieces, Bonnie Carter Hereford of Fayetteville, TN, and Julia Carter West of Columbia, TN; and multiple beloved cousins.

Sarah was born June 3, 1944 in Knoxville, TN, where she spent her childhood and graduated from Young High School in 1962. After high school, she attended University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Sarah married attorney Robert (Bob) D. Hale (subsequently divorced), and became a mother in 1967 with the birth of her son, Rob (“Robby”).

In the early 1980s, Sarah began a 13-year career with the Tennessee Valley Authority: first at the Knoxville TVA office, and later at the Chattanooga TVA office. In 1993, Sarah accepted a position with the Chattanooga Housing Authority. She worked there for six years until she made the move to Alabama, accepting an accountant position at Huntsville Housing Authority in 1999. While at HHA, Sarah worked hard to reorganize and stabilize the organization’s finances and was instrumental in creating a high-performing agency within two years.

Because of her tenacity and dedication, the HR director at HHA encouraged Sarah to finish her accounting degree. At age 50+, most people would not have accepted the challenge. But with a knack for numbers and dogged determination, Sarah returned to higher education — and, in 2002, at age 58, she received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Athens State University’s College of Business in Athens, AL. In 2007, Sarah became the finance director at Athens Housing Authority, where she worked until her retirement in 2017, concluding a remarkable 24-year career with the housing authority.

Sarah bought her dream home in 2002 in Madison, AL. She called it her “Paradise.” It was a special place during a special time of her life. She took self-care seriously in the way of long bubble baths; she often quipped that she earned her degree in her bathtub. Sarah delighted in hosting friends and family poolside in the summertime, including an epic Goff family reunion one summer.

Sarah loved her family and the annual Goff family reunions, a tradition that began decades ago with her maternal grandmother’s request that the family meet each year. As one of the eldest in her generation of relatives in a broad family tree, she was admired and adored by her younger cousins and her nieces. Her greatest joys were her son Robby, her daughter-in-law Missy and her three grandchildren. Her greatest sorrow was losing Robby to cancer in 2021.

Sarah was clever and quick-witted. She enjoyed hobbies that exercised her mind and gave her outlets for creativity. She was a gifted piano player from a young age. She loved solving 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles, and would often work more challenging puzzles with solid coloring, repetitive imagery or irregular edges. She framed her favorites. She loved games of all sorts, and was always “game” herself to learn and play. She knitted and crocheted, and she created many beautiful handmade gifts over the years for family and friends. She was an incredibly thoughtful and creative gift giver, and was known for giving unique gifts tailored to the individual.

Sarah owned a vast collection of movies and was an ace at movie trivia, especially adept at naming Academy Award winners. She was an avid reader and listener to audiobooks. She had a keen interest in history and was fascinated by anything to do with JFK. Not unexpected for her generation, she also loved Elvis; though she never met him in person, her 60th birthday celebration was made memorable when her family hired an Elvis impersonator to serenade her with all the classics.

Among many things, Sarah will especially be remembered for her sense of humor. She had an infectious laugh, and she laughed easily, especially at herself; she was often laughing harder than anyone else at her own jokes and goofs. Sarah’s sparkling sense of humor would light up a room, and she brought the fun with her wherever she went. Armed with warmth, friendliness and a genuine gift for gab, Sarah never met a stranger.

Visitation will take place at Chattanooga Funeral Home – North Chapel and Hamilton Memorial Gardens, 5401 TN-153, Hixson, TN, on Thursday, Jan. 11 from 1–2 p.m. Funeral service begins at 2 p.m. A procession to the Hamilton Memorial Gardens mausoleum will follow.

Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory, and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson, TN 37343.

Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com