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SABRINA EVELYN
BROWN HALL – 94 - Polk County School Board
LAKELAND -
Sabrina Evelyn Brown Hall, a lifelong resident of the Lakeland
area,died Sunday November 3rd, 2013, at her home in Lakeland, Florida.
Sabrina
married the love of her
life Kenneth Hall, a farmer and
rancher, December 22, 1937, within days of her
graduation from Kathleen High School.
They were married 57 years before his passing in 1994.
Sabrina
is a retired Polk County school
teacher who began her teaching
career in 1938, in a one room schoolhouse in the north Polk County
community of Green
Pond. While teaching, raising
son Larry, and helping her husband on their farm, she also attended
Florida Southern College at night and on weekends earning her Bachelors
of Science in Education on March 22, 1948.She continued teaching
at Kathleen Elementary from 1944
- 1964 and
was one of the original twelve
Padgett Elementary Pioneers who opened the
school in September, 1965.
Sabrina retired from Padgett Elementary and at her retirement party her principal said of her "The Greatest Teacher once said 'Suffer the little children to come unto me.' In five years we have not seen a teacher who has shown more love and devotion to the children than Mrs. Hall. On many days she has been the first at school in the morning and the last to leave at night." Sabrina,
her husband Kenneth and son Larry, were faithful members of Bethel
Baptist Church in Socrum until 1966, when they moved from the Socrum
area to their ranch northeast of Lakeland. The couple then became
active members of Parkview Baptist where her membership remained until
her death. Her faith was central to her life and she demonstrated that
faith daily in her home, her classroom, and her church where she was
active in teaching young people for many years in Sunday school, Girls
Auxiliary, and youth activities. Sabrina's greatest accomplishments may
have been in the lives of her family and friends and especially in
helping to mold her students. Her dedication and desire to teach school
lessons as well as the Judeo Christian values to which she was
committed was evident. Students could feel encouraged by her generous
heart of love and concern for them knowing she truly wanted to help
them develop their full potential. She was dedicated to children, both
in her family and those whom she taught in public school or
church. Sabrina loved her large extended family and was
available to help out day or night. After her retirement she was often
found working outside in her garden or yard and canning or freezing
vegetables from the family garden. She often taught school all day,
returned home to help on the farm until well after dark, cook and serve
dinner, later grade papers and prepare to teach the next day. She was a
strong and dedicated woman who was able to successfully develop her
career in education while fully accomplishing her role as mother, wife,
mentor and teacher at her church.
Survivors
include her only child, Larry Thomas Hall, wife Christy, and Karen
Morris Jerry her grandchildren's mother, all of Vero Beach, Florida;
grandchildren John Hall Jen Jen Tampa, Florida, Steven Hall Chari
Covington, Louisiana, Brian Hall of New York, New York, Natalie
Ikemeier Ryan of Erie, Colorado and 5 great grandchildren Catherine
Hall, Ethan Hall, Mason Hall, Alexander Ikemeier and Greyson Ikemeier.
She is
also survived by her brother A. Glenn Brown of Lakeland.
She was
preceded in death by her husband of 57 years Jerry Kenneth Hall; her
father Audubon G. Brown; mother Lela Missouri Brown, also a school
teacher; stepmother Clara Brown, brothers Clyde "Cowboy" Brown, J.H.
"Pete" Brown, Council A. "Coot" Brown, Paul Freeman Brown and twin
sisters Letty and Netty Brown.
The
family is grateful for the gentle loving caregivers who have served her
these past several years, Linda Newberry, Carolyn Harris, Elizabeth
Harrison, and Pat Hicks.
We who
love her know that Sabrina Brown Hall was a woman after God's own
heart! Please join her family in a celebration of her life on Friday
November 8th, 2013 at the Gentry Morrison Chapel at 3350 Mall Hill
Road, Lakeland, Florida and for funeral services Saturday November 9th,
2013 at the same location followed by burial
at Socrum Cemetery.
In
lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Hall Youth Fund at
Parkview Baptist Church, 509 Parkview Place, Lakeland, Florida 33805 or
to Good Shepherd Hospice, 105 Arneson Avenue, Auburndale, Florida
33823. – Ledger, Wed. Nov.6, 2013
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