Maggie D. Sacks' Obituary
Maggie D. left to be with her LORD and Savior on July 5th, 2009 after a brief and unexpected illness. She was born to William and Carrie Gear on February 23, 1942 in Greenville, Mississippi, where she grew up and attended Lucy Webb Elementary and Coleman Jr/Sr High School. Maggie was the 8th child in a family of 13 and was remembered to sometimes -Å"run and hide- when it was time to do chores, a characteristic that did not follow her into adulthood. Maggie worked at TL Westin Junior Senior High School and began raising a family after meeting William Sacks approximately 48 years ago. The family moved to Tacoma, WA in 1966 where it continued to grow.
Maggie will be remembered as a humble and faithful servant of her LORD, a devoted daughter, mother and wife, supportive and loving sister and a dear friend, always giving to those in need. Maggie was preceded in death by her beloved sisters Carrie, Betty, Savannah and Virginia. She will be deeply missed by her devoted and loving husband of 42 years, William Sr.; sons William -Å"Buzzy- Jr. , Gregory, Ronald (Marshella), and Jeff (Jeanne); special daughter Laurie (Kelvin); mother Carrie Arnold Gear; brothers William -Å"Man- (Annie), Clarence (Mary), and David (Etta); sisters Barbara, Della, Daisy (EC), Lucille, Dorothy and half-brother, Sammy Lee; grandsons Andrew, Josh, Jordan, Jeremy, and Jayden; her precious and only granddaughter Megan; great grandson James; numerous honorary sons, daughters, and grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, family and friends. Maggie's love knew no boundaries.
Spending time with her children and grandchildren was the highlight of Maggie's life, especially if there was a good story to tell or shopping to be done. Continued loving whispers of -Å"Child, you're a mess- should come as no surprise as she continues to watch over her family from above.
Besides her love of family, Maggie was best known for her dedication to serving God for greater than 30 years at New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ. Maggie was a teacher of young children in Sunday school, served as the State Hospitality Board President, District Women's Dept. Hospitality Coordinator, President of the Local Hospitality board, as well as, was a member of the Mother's board, Annual Appreciation Committee, and Pastor's Aide Committee. Maggie's love of cooking and community was also felt throughout the Tacoma School District for 22 years prior to her retirement from Franklin Elementary in 2007. She was recognized in 2002 by the PTA with a Golden Acorn Award for her volunteer service to all children and the school community and in the words of many of her colleagues -Å"her smile and laugh in the kitchen and during conferences will be dearly missed-.
While cooking was high on the list of her loves, Maggie also loved taking care of others. Her passion for serving others became evident in the care she provided while working as a CNA in various local nursing homes such as Jefferson House and the Weatherly Inn where she cared for Alzheimer's patients with the compassion that only her touch could deliver. Maggie's legacy spans many years and touches many lives in the Tacoma community, but two of her most notable legacies are her sweet potato pies and her much coveted 7-Up Pound Cake for which she won a Blue Ribbon at the Puyallup Fair and appeared on a local morning show to share her secret. In addition to her presence, this family treasure will be deeply missed as we know that nobody can make it like she can. Our family finds comfort in knowing that she sits at the foot of her LORD sharing this treasure that she no doubt began baking from moment she arrived in His kingdom.
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