Sarah Wilkins

Sarah J. Wilkins, 110, of Lansing, formerly of New Albin, died Saturday, August 8, 2009 at Thornton Manor Care Center in Lansing. Funeral services were held Tuesday, August 11 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Albin, with burial in the church cemetery.

Sarah was born March 27, 1899 at Harpers Ferry to Martin and Agnes (Conway) Cota. In 1920 she moved to Minneapolis, MN, where she met Harry J. Wargin, and they were married in 1923. Harry was an Optician. They moved to Chicago, IL in 1941 and they lived there until Harry retired in 1967. At that time they moved to New Albin. Harry died in 1972. In 1980 Sarah married Wilbur Wilkins of Decorah. They traveled throughout the United States and many foreign countries and to the islands of the Caribbean. Wilbur died in 2007.

She is survived by three children, Harold (Lana) Wargin of St. Anthony, MN, Marilyn (Arthur) Sala of Skokie, IL, and Marlene (Harold) Rogers of Omaha, NE; many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Marcella Strub of New Albin; and Wilbur's children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; a daughter, Jeannine (Robert) Johnson; and her siblings, Leo Conway, Peter Conway, Mary Evans, Celia Delaney, Ellen Hawes, Agnes Baum, and Zita Gavin.