Sara "Sally" Louise (Smith) Gunn

Sara Louise Gunn (Sally), a resident of Givens Highland Farms in Black Mountain, N.C., died early Sunday, August 13, after celebrating her 88th birthday with her husband, the Rev. George Wilson Gunn, Sr. and their children. Sally was born August 12, 1929, in Champaign, Illinois, the eldest daughter of Eugenia Brooks Smith and George Herbert Smith. She grew up in Greencastle, Indiana, and Salem, Oregon--where her father was president of Willamette University. Sally and George have been residents of Highland Farms for the past seven years. August 15 marked their 67th wedding anniversary. She is also survived by their children, George Wilson Gunn Jr. (Pam), George Herbert Gunn (Joan Dennehy), Margaret Eugenia Gunn (Jude Bevan), William Knox Gunn, six grandchildren, one great grandson and many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her sister Margaret Alice Hardman and her husband Joe.

Sally was a dollmaker, seamstress, exemplary hostess and devoted wife and mother. She was particularly proud of her work in developing Values Clarification curricula and supporting drug abuse prevention programs in northwest Arkansas in the 1970s. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1979 and began a career as a Girl Scout professional in Little Rock, Arkansas. An elected Ruling Elder in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), she chaired three committies for the Presbytery of Western North Carolina.

A memorial service will be held at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church on Saturday, August 26, 2017, at 3 p.m. (117 Montreat Road, Black Mountain, NC 28711) with Reverend Mary Katherine Robinson officiating. There will be a reception following the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts are welcomed (via Black Mountain Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 39, Black Mountain, NC 28711) for the work of the Nkhoma Hospital in Malawi, in southeastern Africa.

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