Sarah Lou Alice Westergard

Our beautiful angel mother, Sarah Lou Alice Snow Westergard, returned to her heavenly home peacefully on March 19, 2024, surrounded by her loved ones.

Sarah was born October 14, 1934, in Ackerman, Mississippi into a small family with loving parents Audrey Mae (Adams) and Marion Caloway Snow, and one older brother, Gene, whom she adored. She had a wonderful childhood on the family farm in Ackerman. She was blessed to have her Grandma Snow live with them, and she loved her dearly. Her grandma called her “my little shadow.” She made many happy memories spending time with her family working in the garden, preserving food, baking, and doing chores around her home. Seeing at an early age the results of hard work gave her a life-long love of hard work. She never shrank from any task or chore and tackled it all with gusto and good humor. After a long week of working, her family would relax and celebrate by clearing out the furniture and dancing in the living room to Jimmie Rodgers and other country classics.

Sarah’s father died when she was just six years old, and her Grandma Snow died just one year later. She left the farm with her family and moved closer to the city where her mother could obtain work. Audrey had numerous jobs over the years, but during WWII, she worked as a security guard at the shipyards in Pascagoula. Her brother, Gene, took great care of her while her mother was at work. Gene worked as a soda jerk in the local soda shop, and Sarah would go there after school to do her homework and stay there until his shift was over. He would treat her to a chocolate milkshake (which grew into a lifelong favorite!) and then she would sit on the back of his bike as he peddled home. They had a special relationship.

Sarah enjoyed her high school years and had many friends. She loved learning and was a speedy typist and highly skilled in shorthand. These skills would serve her well in the workforce after high school. Sarah was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had a strong testimony of her Savior, Jesus Christ. However, as her town was so small, there was no ward or branch to attend. For several years until there were enough members of her faith to form a small unit, she went to the local Baptist church. She loved hearing the teachings from the Bible and singing the old Gospel hymns. When missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were assigned to their area, she and her family frequently had them over for dinner. It was during one of these dinners that she met a very handsome missionary, Elder Howard Westergard, from Pocatello, Idaho. She admired him from afar and her mother would always say: “Whoever gets Elder Westergard will be one lucky girl!”

Elder Westergard completed his mission in the Florida Keys, and was released. In those days, an LDS missionary was responsible for getting to and from “the mission field,” and it was so with Howard. On his drive back home, he went through Mississippi and called on Sarah. He saw in her beauty and poise and knew right away that he wanted to marry her. He proposed on their first date, and she said “yes!” He then continued home to Pocatello and Sarah later joined him. Sarah and Howard had a short engagement and were married January 19, 1956, in the Salt Lake Temple.

They returned to Mississippi where Howard began medical school at the University of Mississippi. Sarah worked at the Mississippi Power Company until their children were born. Their first four children were born in Jackson. Sarah’s gifts of thrift and frugality allowed her to be a stay-at-home mother during the many lean and demanding years of schooling. She was a true companion and partner to Howard during this time and his success in schooling and his career was due in large part to the many sacrifices she willingly made. After medical school, they moved to Ogden, Utah and Salt Lake City, Utah where they completed an internship and residency before settling in Boise in 1966. They also added two more children to their family during this time.

Sarah was a homemaker in every sense of the word. She used her talents and gifts to bless her family and others. At her hands her children learned the same things that were so important to her as a child – hard work balanced with time and encouragement for developing talents and interests. From cooking, canning, sewing, gardening, and caretaking, she made it look easy. She made nearly everything from scratch and was a master bread maker and seamstress. Her sweet nature and calm spirit made our home a place of peace and refuge.

Sarah had a deep and abiding love for Jesus Christ and His gospel. She sought to pattern her life after His, and taught her children Christ-like virtues by the way she lived. This is her greatest legacy. We were blessed to learn from and participate with her in the many acts of kindness and service she so freely gave. As a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she served wherever she was called. Both she and Howard spent their entire lives in service to God, family, friends, and even to complete strangers. Sarah had infinite patience, wisdom, and unconditional love. She embodied the light of love and you felt it in her presence. She was truly an angel on earth. We love you Mother. God be with you till we meet again.

Sarah loved her family and was so proud of her posterity. She is survived by her six children: April (Ettore), Dhreen (Scott), Melany (Bruce), Dave (Carolyn), Vivian (Mike), and Donna (Kirt); 27 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her eternal companion, Howard Westergard, her parents Audrey and Caloway Snow, her brother, Gene Snow, and two great-grandchildren, Amanda and Owen.

A sincere thank you to the staff at Touchmark Memory Care and Keystone Hospice of Boise; Mandi and her staff at the Beehive Homes of Perry; and Steve and his team from TenderCare Hospice of Utah. We are so grateful for their kind and loving care.

Funeral services will be held Saturday March 23rd 11:00 a.m. at Relyea Funeral Home located at 318 N. Latah St.; Boise ID. A viewing will be held that morning from 9:30-10:45 prior to the services. Interment will be at Dry Creek Cemetery in Boise, ID.