Extracted from The Southern Herald (Liberty, MS)
Friday, March 18, 2011

SARAH WHITTINGTON
June 29, 1924 - March 2, 2011

Sarah Brantley Strickland Whittington, age 86, passed away peacefully at 3:55 pm on March 2, 2011 at Grace Home in Shreveport, Louisiana . She had been in failing health for the last three years and had been hospitalized following two strokes since last November. She was the last surviving child of Arthur and Lillie Brantley of Gloster, Mississippi. She was one of eight children: Baby Brantley, Winnie Huff, Ruth Rollins, Frank Brantley, Flora Dawson, Ann Foster and Pete Brantley who all preceded her in death. She has two remaining sister-in-laws and one brother-in-law -- Henry and Lucille Strickland of Liberty and Merle Brantley of Gloster. She had 30 nieces and nephews and numerous other great nieces, great nephews and cousins -- most of whom still live in the Gloster community.

She married Joseph Milton Strickland of Liberty, MS on March 18, 1944 and they had three children -- Joe Strickland Jr., Vivian Janis Stehr of Fairplay, MD and Linda Joyce Mahon of Bossier City, LA. Her husband retired as a Colonel in the United States Air Force and they lived in Lompoc, California until his death on September 11, 1981. Her son, Joe Jr., passed away on August 18, 2006 in Camden, Arkansas.

She had eight grandchildren. Her son had four children -- David Shane, Crissie Jo, Vicki and April. Her daughter, Janis, has two children -- Michael Stehr and Laura Leopold. Her daughter, Linda, has two children -- Sara Swift and Chance Mahon. She had eight great grandchildren -- Josh and Jon Leopold (twins), Travis Leopold, Anthonee Strickland, Mikel Strickland, Nathaniel Strickland, Ian Strickland, and Kaleb Swift.

She married Oddis E. Whittington, her grade school sweetheart, on June 12, 1999 and they made their home in Bossier City, LA until her death.

She loved bowling, gospel music, gardening, talking on the phone and antiques.

She will be laid to rest at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Gloster, Mississippi next to her beloved husband and son following a memorial service at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, 3005 Mount Pleasant Road, at 11 am on March 26th. All family and friends are invited to join her family in this celebration of her life.