Sarah Christine Rowland

Sarah was graduated from Broughton High School, where she won honors in Environmental Science. She earned her undergraduate and Master’s degree at North Carolina State University in that field. Her internship was at the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center. Sarah had worked at Mako’s COVID test processing center in Henderson, commuting from home.

Sarah’s memorial service will be at Raleigh’s First Presbyterian Church, where she was baptized. As a high school student, she was active in the church’s youth groups and served on the Youth Council of the Presbytery of New Hope.

In the last decade, as her dad was commissioned to pastor Berea Presbyterian Church in Johnston County, Sarah was active in that church, singing, playing handbells, acting in Christmas plays, and presenting “moments for young disciples.” She used her technology skills setting up the church’s Facebook page, as well as taking and posting photographs and videos. Each year, she prepared graphics reporting the worldwide reach of those posts.

Sarah was an excellent Bible reader for the Berea church, for services at First Presbyterian, and, in 2013, for the community Easter sunrise service on the grounds of the state capitol.

Sarah’s many interests included photography, crafts, knitting, herb gardening, baking, and bicycling. She was a voracious reader. Her requirement for any pocketbook was that it let her carry a book or two. She and her dad enjoyed weekly visits to The Reader’s Corner used book store.

Sarah had a keen sense of humor. She furnished her dad with jokes to post on a family Corny Jokes page. She loved sharing cute puppy videos with her mom every day. She loved spending time with her brother, especially their movie outings.

Montreat was a family favorite vacation spot. Sarah and her brother Paul loved to tube down Deep Creek in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Sarah would do vacation research, helping the family explore places such as Asheville’s North Carolina Arboretum or Lake Junaluska ’s native plant garden or the huge sculpture of Albert Einstein in Washington, DC.

Dr. Ed McLeod will conduct a memorial service at First Presbyterian Church, 112 South Salisbury St, Raleigh, NC 27601, at 2:00 PM on Friday, April 21st. Following the service, the family will greet visitors in the Lisa Ham Gathering space, adjacent to the church sanctuary.

Memorial gifts may be made to Berea Presbyterian Church, 10379 NC Highway 210, Four Oaks, NC 27524 or the charity of one’s choice.

Inurnment in the First Presbyterian columbarium will be in a private service at a later date.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 38:14