A memorial service for Sarah L. Fairchild, 58, of Lincoln, will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, at St. Mark’s on The Campus Episcopal Church, 1309 R Street, in Lincoln. A reception will follow at the church.
She died Monday, Oct. 30, 2017, at Bryan Health Medical Center in Lincoln.
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Sara Louise Sieler was born in Wahoo, Nebraska, June 24, 1959. After her graduation from Norfolk High School in 1977, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English in 1981 from Doane College in Crete, followed by a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing from the University of Nebraska in 1986. That same year she married Mark D. Fairchild, at which time she changed the spelling of her first name to Sarah.
Sarah was a poet and fiction writer from a young age. In 1976 she won the second place prize in the Bicentennial Commission of Pennsylvania’s “My America” national competition. While working as the special orders clerk at Nebraska Book Store after college, she developed skills and connections with the writing community in Lincoln and greater Nebraska. She worked for several years during the 1980’s as an editorial assistant for the Prairie Schooner Literary Magazine. She founded and owned Black Star Press, and published the Nebraska Poets Calendar for many years. In 2011, Sarah helped found the Collaborative Poetry Project.
Sarah was also active teaching composition, business writing, creative writing, and speech at various colleges in Lincoln including Kaplan University (previously known as Lincoln School of Commerce, and Hamilton College), Southeast Community College, The College of St. Mary’s, and Union College.
Most recently, Sarah was employed as a mentor for highly gifted students in the Lincoln Public Schools, facilitating their exploration of a great number of topics and interests, while honing their expressive skills.
Sarah was active in her church and world, officially as the Director of Christian Education at St. Mark’s on The Campus, and also as a member of both The International Order of St. Luke the Physician, and Camp Farthest Out spiritual association. Amnesty International and the Prairie Peace Park also benefited from her service.
Sarah was a beloved wife and mother, and friend. She touched many lives, for the better.
Sarah was preceded in death by her parents, Hugo and Barbara (Packard) Sieler. She is survived by husband Mark of Lincoln, daughter Margaret (Eric Lauer) of Reston, VA, son Michael (Amy) and granddaughter Chloe all of Lincoln, brother Dave (Susan) Sieler, and sister Shirley (Mark) Klafter of Norfolk, NE, and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Condolences may be sent in care of St. Mark’s on The Campus Episcopal Church, 1309 R St., Lincoln, NE 68508. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Heifer Project, Amnesty International, or St. Mark’s on the Campus.
Please feel free to share your stories and memories in comments on this page for Sarah’s family to enjoy.
Wow! I knew she did a lot, but there is stuff here I never knew about. Most important is that she was a terrific person: kind, caring, diligent, unselfish, uncomplaining. A life well lived. I feel privileged to have known her.
Iwas worried when I read on Mark’s facebook page that Sarah was in the hospital and later on when he wrote her prognosis was grim My big regret is that I did not keep in contact with her and Mark like I should have She was one of my first and best friends at Doane Lincoln has lost one of it best citizens A wonderful soul Condolences to Mark Michael Margaret and their spouses and child as well as all those who love her
Sarah was an important friend to Prairie Schooner. Her intelligence, precision, and — yes— her radiance informed everything she did. Rest In Peace, friend.
Sarah embodied strength, courage, and resolve. She share her faith by living into it. Her light will not be forgotten.
Dear and longest friend, we shared so many memories. The thing I treasured most in Sarah was her faith. Her kindness and grace called me back when I got lost. I will always miss her, but know she now moves among that great cloud of witnesses. May Grace carry you through this loss Mark, Margaret, Michael, Shirley, and all who loved her.
Mark and family,
Sending you my condolences on Sarah’s passing.
God be with you as you mourn her loss.
Having worked several years with Sarah mentoring at Rousseau, I enjoyed our shared passion for good grammar and well written student efforts. Sarah generously gave of her time and energy to each child, and she willingly collaborated on projects, donating materials and expertise. I benefited greatly from our work friendship. As a believer, I know Sarah has joined that great cloud of witnesses and has entered into the joy of her Master. However, as a friend who commiserated with her on many topics, I will miss Sarah, as will all of us. My condolences to her family.
I wish I felt well enough to attend the service tonight. Sarah and I both worked for KCNA-TV channel 8 when it was in Norfolk. I did news and Sarah did production work including operating a studio camera. She was always very professional and made sure the job was very well done. It was a pleasure to work with her and I am very sorry to hear of her passing.
Feel free to contact me if you wish to reminisce about Sarah and the Norfolk days.
Bill Ainsley. 402 489 9121 bainsley
@twc.com
Sarah and I were part of a group of officemates in the English Department of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who were working toward our master’s degrees. We were readers together for Prairie Schooner and became lifetime friends. We also worked at Great Plains Quarterly, when she was beginning classes toward her Ph.D. and she brought me into an indexing project for a book by the National Park Service. She was teaching freshman composition at College of St. Mary (their weekend program in Lincoln) and had me join in when they were short handed. The same was true for Hamilton College. We worked together on the Nebraska Writing Festival for seniors and the community college network. I helped her with several issues of the Nebraska Poets Calendar, and Black Star Press books of poetry by Amil Quayle (another poet whose passing left a hole in our hearts) and Greg Kosmicki. When Sarah and Mark were married, she knew I had some printmaking experience with silk screen, and asked my friend and myself to print the wedding invitations, a single rosebud design. Sarah was that rosebud, holding her faith close, and opening to the many communities and individuals she touched and guided. She was my daughter’s first mentor; we still have the projects and writings she inspired 20 years ago. Her gentle strength reached all levels of education in the state, blossomed in the writing world, took a stand to promote peace, justice, equality, dignity and respect for all. She was both joyful and serious. She loved music as well as writing, and her family and friends knew there was likely to be an impromptu performance of the musicians at any gathering. She enjoyed board games, those she shared with her students, but also a good Scrabble match with friends. She loved her family. And shared them with her friends. I don’t know the siblings and parents and extended family of many of my adult friends, but I knew Sarah’s. They were inspiring. She was inspiring. We will truly miss her in our daily lives, but her spirit will sustain us all.
I don’t know why I am just now seeing these comments, 3 years after Sarah’s passing, but they are beautiful and comforting. I’m so thankful for knowing that Sarah’s friends saw the beautiful spirit that inhabited her fragile body. She valued these same memories. Thank-you for sharing.