Sarah was one of the gentlest and most caring people one could ever meet. She loved music, which was her major at County College of Morris. Her primary instrument was her voice but she also studied piano. She had a love for listening to country music, to which she was introduced by her Dad, and singing every song (“I love this one!”) on the radio with her Mom and sister Emillie. Sarah also participated in musical theatre during both her high school and college careers with both on and off-stage roles. She was a part of such productions as the first school-based performance of Les Miserables, and participated in college in an on stage role in Phantom of the Opera. She helped off-stage (audio, set work, you name it) with other performances such as Cats and Beauty and the Beast. Aside from performance and singing, Sarah had a knack for set design and construction and in this way she has had a “soup to nuts” involvement in many productions. Sarah was a noted singer as well, performing with the Mount Olive High School, Morris County Region, and All-State Choirs, including being an honored soloist.
Sarah had a love of children and teaching. Her long term goal was to become a teacher of music and/or English or Literature.
Along with her younger sister Emillie, Sarah also had a passion for horses and both sisters volunteered their time at Freedom Horse Farm in Long Valley, NJ. The farm is an organization that uses Equine Assisted Therapy to aid physically and mentally handicapped individuals regain balance and other physical skills, helps those who have had traumatic injuries (such as soldiers and accident victims) gain back functionality such as walking and daily living activities, and helps those with psychological handicaps such as autism and PTSD develop coping mechanisms, all through relating with these beautiful and intelligent creatures. A few of Freedom Horse’s 4-legged members deserve special mention. Horses named Ashton, Chunky, Freedom, and Bella helped to keep Sarah involved in the program even when times got tough. Sarah attended Centenary University, studying Therapeutic Riding Instruction.
Sarah had a love of reading, including classic literature such as Little Women, which she read in the 5th grade. She was also a fan of fantasy such as Harry Potter, the JRR Tolkien series (Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit), and such dystopian works including Divergent, the Hunger Games series, and Maze Runner. It was very common to find her with a book in her hand before cancer stole her sight, and then Alexa and audio books became one of her favorite forms of entertainment, along with her beloved Animal Planet programs.
Sarah is survived by her parents, Eric and Frances, by her beloved younger sister, Emillie, and her family pets, Shelby and Abby. She is also survived by her maternal grandmother, Angelina Mecolick, aunt, Angela Baptista and her family, and her uncle, John Mecolick and his family. On her paternal side, she is survived by her uncle, Bill Boehm and aunt, Jackie McNally and their families. Finally, Sarah is survived by and always appreciated the never-ending love and support of her beloved friends, Lizzie, Jen and Katie, and her youngest cousins Rebecca and Zachary.
In lieu of flowers or other tributes, we request that if you so desire please contribute to Freedom Horse in Sarah's name, please visit Freedom Horse Stable a NJ Nonprofit corporation.
There will be a memorial service at the Church of the Messiah in Long Valley at a date yet to be determined due to the current restrictions.
Her memory will live on with us forever.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Cochran Funeral Home, 905 High Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840 www.cochranfuneral.com