Sarah Eleanor "Sallie" Knowles Stokes

Sarah Eleanor “Sallie” Knowles Stokes, aged 83 years, died 23 February 2024, in Macon, Georgia. Born in Macon on 9 January 1941, Sarah was the second child and eldest daughter of Paul Wesley Knowles and his wife, the former Josephine “Jack” Mannheim. Named for her grandmothers, she was the granddaughter of William M. “Jim” and Ella (Rigby) Knowles and Joseph and Sarah “Sallie” (Durden) Mannheim.

The family will greet friends Monday, 26 February 2024, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at McCullough Funeral Home, 417 South Houston Lake Road, Warner Robins. The funeral will be Tuesday, 27 February, at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel of McCullough Funeral Home. A graveside service will be at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday at Orange Hill Cemetery in Hawkinsville.

Sarah was educated in the Bibb County public schools and in 1959 was a member of the first graduating class of Margaret McEvoy High School. She later attended Macon Junior College. In 1959, Sarah married James Allen “Jimmy” Stokes, Jr., and they had five children together. In addition to being a homemaker, she worked at a variety of positions before retiring from Macon Orthopedic and Hand. Sarah contributed much to her community as a Cub Scout den mother, classroom sponsor, Girl Scout volunteer, and Little League mom. She was a member of the Nathaniel Macon Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and the Indian Springs Chapter of the Continental Society Daughters of Indian Wars. She served as librarian of her DAR chapter and was awarded the National Society Sons of the American Revolution’s Martha Washington Medal and Award for her service to the Society’s Ocmulgee Chapter. She was an Episcopalian.

Sarah was preceded in death by her husband of fifty years; her son, Andrew Maurice Stokes of Macon; her grandson, Joseph Tilden Stokes of Macon; her three brothers, John Wesley “Johnny” Knowles of Byron, James Joseph “Jim” Knowles of Macon, and William Mannheim “Bill” Knowles of Gray; her sister, Paula Knowles Gwathney of Warner Robins; and her sisters-in-law, Barbara Jean McBride Knowles of Macon and Marian Frances Stokes Hicks of Lizella.

Sarah is survived by her children, Christopher Daniel Stokes of Lizella, Paul Allen Stokes (Laura) of Cochran, Katherine Stokes Cott (David) of Covington, and Carlos Mannheim Stokes of Byron; her sister, Mary Josephine Knowles Dodson (Harold) of Blythewood, South Carolina; her brother-in-law, Walter Graham Gwathney of Warner Robins; her sisters-in-law, Margaret Joarlyn “Jo” Brown Knowles of Byron; Wynell Deloris “Nell” Watson Knowles of Gray, and Sandra Stokes Clausen of Kathleen; thirteen grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Go to www.mcculloughfh.com to sign the Online Registry for the family.  McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.