Sara Jane (Doerr) Avant

Funeral services for Sara Jane (Doerr) Avant, 90, of Sperry, OK, were held Saturday, August 12, 2023, at Community of Christ Church in Sperry, OK. Reverend Vernon Hogue, Elder Phyllis Gaddy, Elder Connie Bias, and Elder Charles Rowden officiated, and burial was in Rest Haven Cemetery in Sperry, OK. Casket bearers were Aaron Avant, Roger Tracy, Bill Citty, Larry Doerr, Marc Juby, Josh Drybread and Colby Juby.

Sara was born May 23, 1933, on a Hominy, OK oil patch to Carl Oren Doerr and Susie Francis (Starks) Doerr. She ascended to live with the angels on August 3, 2023, in Tulsa, OK.

Sara graduated from Sperry High School in 1952 where she participated in many activities. Sara married Jack in 1953 and soon traveled to New York City where she boarded a ship bound for Germany to join Jack who was stationed in Heidelberg serving in the Army. There, Sara gave birth to her beautiful baby boy, Sam. Sara had never traveled beyond the Oklahoma State line before time. Sara graduated from the St. John’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1958 and became a Registered Nurse. Her nursing career included working at St. John Hospital, Skiatook Nursing Home, and Sperry Schools. She was also a nurse for many of the church camps, and a visiting nurse to many friends and family members. She loved to help family and friends during times of illness and spent countless hours sitting with loved ones. Her children still recall with great pride her service as a nurse at church camps. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren were her pride and joy.  Their beloved MeMa/MoMo would drop what she was doing to care for them. They each thought they were her “favorite.” Sara also made sure each grandchild attended at least one church camp. She LOVED spending time with her sister, Carlene, and supported Carlene in her many moneymaking efforts. Her service to the Sperry RLDS/Community of Christ church is too long to list, but some of her favorite activities included creating Memorial Day wreaths for the Christmas Bazaar, helping with Bible school, and attending youth church camps in Racine, Missouri. Sara LOVED to host birthday and holiday dinners! While her son and daughter attended OSU, Sara would always show up in Stillwater on their birthdays. After their children started college, Jack and Sara began traveling throughout the United States and taking cruises. Sara loved the winters spent in Alamo, Texas, at the Royal Palms Retirement Village. She loved all Sperry high school sports, OSU football and Thunder basketball. Sara and her husband, Jack, were avid supporters of the Sperry School System and established the Jack and Sara Avant Scholarship Fund, providing numerous Sperry graduates with college support. In 1978, Sara and Jack were named Sperry’s Homecoming Outstanding Alums. Sara and Jack celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in June 2023.

She is survived by her husband, Jack Avant; son, Sam Avant and wife, Lou Ann; daughter, Susan Citty and husband, Bill; granddaughter, Aubra Drybread and husband, Josh; grandson, Aaron Avant; granddaughter, Ryan McNitt; great-grandchildren, Rylee Houston and Jack Drybread and Ellie Drybread.

Sara was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Susie Doerr; brothers, Wayne Doerr and Oren Doerr; and sister, Carlene Juby.

Memorial donations in Sara’s memory may be made to the Cliff and Helen Grace Herrington – Sperry Schools Foundation, c/o Jack and Sara Avant Scholarship Fund, P.O. BOX 876, Sperry, OK 74073.

Arrangements and services were entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home, Sperry.

Online condolences to the family can be made at johnsonsperry.com.