Sister M. Sara's Services
Private Mass of Resurrection at Sacred Heart Convent, Tuesday, Oct. 20; private burial, Calvary Cemetery, Wednesday, Oct. 21. A memorial mass will be held at Sacred Heart Convent at a later date.
In lieu of flowers or visits, memorials to honor the memory of Sister Sara may be made to the Dominican Sisters Retirement Fund, 1237 W. Monroe St., Springfield, IL, 62704. The Dominican Sisters and family of Sister M. Sara are served by Butler Funeral Homes.
Springfield Dominican Sister M. Sara Koch, OP, died suddenly, October 18, 2020, in Urbana. She was born in Mt. Sterling in 1940 to Raymond and Marie (Redmond) Koch, and baptized Marcia Sue at St. Mary’s Church, Mt. Sterling. She joined the Dominicans in 1959 and professed her vows in 1961 at Sacred Heart Convent, Springfield, Ill.
Sister M. Sara’s life is inextricably bound to St. Malachy Parish, Rantoul, where she served 36 of her 59 years of religious profession. She began her ministerial life teaching primary grades at parochial schools in Springfield, Hampshire, and Quincy. In 1973 she moved to junior high, first in Decatur, then in Crystal Lake. In 1981 she was assigned to St. Malachy School to teach seventh grade and served there, with one 3-year interruption, until her final day of life. 1992-1995, she taught junior high, Our Saviour School, Jacksonville. During her years at St. Malachy she had four ministry assignments: principal (two different times), director of religious education for youth and adults, spiritual life coordinator, and finally, prayer companion.
Sister M. Sara was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Donald, Robert, and Maurice, and her sisters Patricia Koch, and Mary Ellen Ferrill. She is survived by her brother Charles, Mt. Sterling; Rosalie (Jim) Shank, Decatur; and Joan Zurita, Rolling Meadows; 23 loving nieces and nephews, and many cousins, including Sister Marcelline Koch, also a Dominican Sister of Springfield.
💕😇💕 With sadness we say goodbye, but happy that she is with our father God, our prayers for her relatives and her congregation sisters 💕🙏💕
Sr. Sara, I will always think of you when I have a God Moment! Thank you for all that you have done for so many. Love, Cathy Hunt
Such a wonderful person, very compassionate and kind, always with a smile and willing to help. We will miss you. Happy to know that you are in the presence of God.
What a BLESSED PRIVILEGE to have Sister Sara touch the hearts of so many of our family members over the many years God entrusted her to us all.
She was a true INSPIRATION in countless ways. What a JOY it has been as she PROFOUNDLY INFLUENCED & ENHANCED our lives. Dear Sister Sara, thank you for your WARMTH, your ENJOYABLE HUMOR, we will never forget you!!!
Thank you for posting on behalf of our family!
May the memories of the good times with Sister Sara comfort you at this time of passing on to her eternal reward. May the Lord comfort you with His loving presence and fill you with His peace. May Sister Sara’s soul rest in peace enjoying the fruits of her labors while on this earth.
My sister, Jeanne Grap of Rantoul, was close to Sister Sara. She told me she had three phone conversations with her on Saturday. She also told me that Sister Sarah loved to listen to her play the piano. May she Rest In Peace with our Lord.
Sister Sara was my 7th grade teacher in 1978-79. I remember her to be kind, extremely funny and an understanding parochial teacher. she was and has always been my favorite teacher. She now sits with Heavenly Father, and is probably making Him laugh. God bless you, Sara.
Please accept our deepest sympathy. As a kid, she was cousin Marcia and then she became Sister Sara. Always, she was a wonderful blessed person who touched many lives. She was certainly a saint living among us. We will miss her.
Carl and Nancy Koch
Sr. Sara touched so many lives. I’m so happy to have been one of the students whose life she touched. She will be very missed!
Prayers from our family. Rest In Peace. Tim and Linda Glazik family
I will miss my conversations and texts with Sister Sara her sense of humor her devotion to God and our St. Malachy family. Hope to see her again one day.
Sr Sara,
I looked up to you as a big cousin who
Did what my parents totally admired by becoming a sister. I was in awe of you and Sr Marcelline but did not think all the nuns were as kind and fun loving as you two. Still I knew you were exactly who you always had been as a child. I know your students were very lucky. I am sure you inspired other little girls to Follow in your path. Enjoy eternity in heaven with God and your loving family.
LInda & Peter Kolostov family