Sara Abraham

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — Sara Stevenson Abraham went to be with her Lord and Savior on Monday, Oct. 6, at the age of 81.

Family and friends will celebrate her life with the funeral service beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, at First Baptist Church, 1607 Cherry Street, Vicksburg, with Pastor Jimmy Henry and Pastor Matt Buckles officiating. Interment will follow in Greenlawn Gardens Cemetery.

Friends are invited to visitation with the family on Friday, Oct. 17, from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at Monsour & Patin Funeral Directors, 1830 Cherry Street, Vicksburg, and on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 9 a.m. until the hour of the service in the Sanctuary of First Baptist Church.

She was the daughter of the late Judge Robert W. Stevenson, Sr., and Marjorie Thomas Stevenson of Curtis, Ark. She is preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Frederick Michael Abraham; daughter, Julie Jabour Abraham; brother, Robert W. Stevenson; her nephew, Captain Robert W. Stevenson, III.; and special aunts, Joyce Stiffler and Iris Toombs.

Abraham is survived by her daughter, Angela Abraham Ladner; son-in-law, Dr. Mark E. Ladner; and their children, Amelia Jane, Julianna Elizabeth and Alexandra Sara, the loves of her life, all of Jackson, Miss.; her adopted brother, Steven O’Lynn Stevenson; sister-in-law, Anice Stevenson; nephews, Tommy (Jojie), Clark (Kelly), and Jon(Ashley) Stevenson and their children; special cousins, Deborah Nolan, Freddy Stiffler and Jacque McElhaney; her bonus cousin by marriage, Pam Jabour Mayfield, her card-playing and traveling friends, Bob & Georgia Buchanan; her irreplaceable best friends, Louie and Carolyn Miller and Jane Sullivan Ladner, her prayer partner and cheerleader for 31 years.

Abraham graduated from Gurdon High School and Henderson State University with double majors in English and Business Administration. After moving to Vicksburg, she continued graduate school at Mississippi College.

Sara and Freddy were very active members of St. George Orthodox Church, both serving as President of the Board of Trustees and Sunday School Teachers among many other duties over an extended period of years before transferring their membership to First Baptist Church Vicksburg. As founding members of Christians United for Israel, they served as state directors for 12 years, traveling with John Hagee Ministries worldwide.

Abraham was on a mission from the Lord to preserve, maintain and construct crosses across America’s interstates and major thoroughfares. For the past 26 years, she was the Executive Director of Crosses Across America, Inc., a non-profit ministry. As a full-time volunteer, she oversaw some of the 1600+ volunteers who built and maintained some 2200+ sets of cross clusters internationally in addition to the giant crosses standing some 110’ high. Country singer Randy Travis recorded a song, “Three Wooden Crosses,” about Sara’s mission in 2002. The song became Travis’ final No. 1 single when it was released and was named Song of the Year in 2003 by the Country Music Association. When once asked the point of the crosses, Sara responded: “When people look at those three crosses, they have a decision to make. Will they accept Christ in their life? Some people drive past the crosses, and it won’t change anything, but for others, it may change everything. This ministry has changed my life for the better.”

Pallbearers will be Chris Baker, Bob Buchanan, Wyatt Davis, George Jabour, Jr., Lewis Miller, Jr., Clark Stevenson, Jon Stevenson and Tommy Stevenson.

Honorary Pallbearers are Donald Fuller, Fred Fuller, Lealon Garrison, John Hagee, Robert Jordan, W. Richard “Ricky” Johnson, Sr., Members of the Tom Hill Sunday School Class, Sr., Robert Niehuss, Kerry Pitts, and Freddy Stiffler.

The family wishes to express our sincerest gratitude to Kennethra Guidry and Shirley Ward for their generous support and assistance.

Memorials may be made in Sara’s memory to: Crosses Across America, Inc. 3317 Indiana Avenue, Vicksburg, MS 39180; the Julie Jabour Abraham Memorial Scholarship, The University of Mississippi Office of Financial Aid, P.O. Box 1848 University, MS 38677 or to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 390, Vicksburg, MS 39181.