Sara Ann Elfast

Sara Ann Elfast, formerly Sara Ann Josiah, has gone to join her family and Jesus in heaven. Sara was born on June 15, 1952 to William Robert Josiah and Ann Joan D’Amico. Born at Southside hospital in Bayshore, she grew up in Cadman Ave, in Babylon. Sara graduated from Babylon Junior/Senior High School in 1970. After marriage to Allan, she raised her family in West Babylon in Arnold Ave; where she lived for the remainder of her life.

She leaves behind her husband of almost 46 years, Allan, two children, Rebecca and Kevin, two children-in-laws, Evan and Kimberly, two grandchildren, Jackson and Charlotte, two sisters, Linda and Janice, six nieces and nephews, Matthew, Ashley, Keith, Natalie, Annelise and Olivia, two pets, Schooner and Lily, and many cousins on both sides. We all mourn together as we miss her laughter and feel the empty void in our hearts, but we also rejoice in her true healing, knowing her suffering is at an end, and the unknowingly beautiful place she now resides.

Sara was a kind, big hearted person who loved her friends and family fiercely. Family and the Lord was her focus in life. She enjoyed spending time with family more than anything else. Particularly she loved to be with them at Sebago Lake in Maine. She loved to sit on the swing and listen for the loons on the lake. Her loon call was always requested to help lure them closer to the dock for a better view. Aunt Gloria’s house in Austerlitz, especially at Thanksgiving when the house would be filled to bursting with family, was another happy place for Sara. She loved how Aunt Gloria’s door was always open with a room ready for visitors.

Sara loved the fall and all the activities it included. A family trip to Tim’s orchard to hand pick golden delicious and empire apples always made her smile. Another great love was her animals. She always had a tender heart for strays and dogs. She loved the beauty of wild places and wild animals as proof of God’s majesty. Another hobby was furniture and interior design. She loved estate sales to find bargains. Those close to her know how she could never have enough hutches. She loved antiques and rearranging her home for a fresh and new feeling. Sara developed a love of gardens and flowers from observing Uncle Art and Uncle Glen, who had famed green thumbs and a true gift for growing and designing beautiful outdoor spaces. She loved trees as well, getting angry when people in town would cut them down thereby removing the charm that the neighborhood had offered and making it look like the dreaded “city”. She loved to take drives in Brightwaters on the broad roads covered by tree canopy’s. Looking at all the old homes built by true craftsmen with stunning character was a favorite pastime. The addition of Christmas lights l added delight to her drives in the winter season. She loved a fresh snowfall that sat on the branches and boughs of the trees above the untouched ground blanketed with stunningly white snow. Christmas and Thanksgiving were her favorite holidays. The presents, she would always remind us, were not the point; the celebration of Christ’s birth was the true meaning and therefore a giving spirit and extra kindness was needed to our fellow man. She loved the turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes and handmade gravy from the drippings. Pumpkin pie with handmade whipped cream for dessert was always her first choice. Decorating the house with fall decor for the entire season until she changed to Christmas decorations of pine garlands, a fragrant Christmas tree and cozy winter scenes was another gift she brought to us. Her home was always a cozy cottage filled with delicious food and laughter.

Sara was a great cook, learning from Aunt Nettie and her mother. She was very particular about food and would only shop were she had received personal recommendations from trusted family members on the quality of the store and it’s products. Recipes were not as important as the specific brands and foodstuffs, she would shake her head with a serious look if you came home with Barilla pasta instead of Dececco. Her cooking was the style of a true expert, knowing just what was needed by a taste test. We will keep her dishes and flair alive in our own cooking to be a part of her living memory.

Sara loved her children and grandchildren who brought joy to her life as much as she brought it to theirs. She loved to tell them family stories of those who came before them. She made them all feel as if they knew their great-grandparents just as much as she did. Allan and her were married almost 46 years, on November 12, 1978. She cared for him until her dying day managing to keep him from nursing homes and allowing him to stay in the comfort of their home. Her self sacrifice is portrayed here and we remember how she sacrificed for us all countless times, true to her Christian values.

Sara’s sisters were her rocks and foundations in life. She drew strength from them and gave it in return when needed. They were all close and each other’s confidants in all matters. All three carried the love from prior generations and passed it along to their children to continue the sacred tradition. They all honor their parents and grandparents memories and we are blessed to have them to guide us in life with their experiences, wisdom and love.

Sara’s faith was unshaken. She Believed in Him with all her heart and soul and took her mother’s dying words to “tell the children” as a saintly mission, along with her sisters. She always looked forward to the kingdom, speaking on how wonderful and joyous it will be. When we mourn her, we must mourn for our own broken, lonely hearts but never for hers. She is in her glory alongside Jesus with her parents, grandparents and ancestors joyfully watching over us all. We can all look forward to the day we are reunited, just as she did. It is we who must still struggle and suffer and do our good works in this world to prepare our souls for the everlasting kingdom and Christ’s gift of eternal life and salvation.

She will be sorely missed until we meet again.

In lieu of flowers consider donating to Camp Sunshine in Casco, Maine on Sebago Lake. It is a facility for terminally ill children and their families meant to assist them in finding some peace on the beauty and serenity of the lake. https://www.campsunshine.org/donate-today

A visitation for Sara will be held Sunday, July 28, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM, and 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM, 448 West Main Street, Babylon, NY 11702. A religious services with pastor mark dellosso will occur Sunday, July 28, 2024 from 8:00 PM to 8:30 PM. A graveside service will occur Monday, July 29, 2024 at 10:30 AM at Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum, 2030 Wellwood Ave, Farmingdale, NY 11735.