Sarah Marie Gillespie, devout Catholic
Sarah Marie Gillespie, 75, of Lewes, passed away Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, at ChristianaCare Hospital after a brief illness. She was born May 12, 1947, in Erie Pa., the daughter of Edith (Burger) Gioia.
Sarah spent her formative years first in Kane, Pa., and then in Philadelphia. After graduating from high school, Sarah entered a Catholic religious order, where she served the Lord for 13 years. During that time, she attended college and became a registered nurse. She also spent several years as a missionary in South America fully utilizing her nursing skills.
Sarah attended Immaculata University, where she earned her bachelor of science degree in nursing. Over the course of her career as a registered nurse, she expertly and lovingly cared for thousands of patients, and her work gave her a great sense of purpose, satisfaction, and joy.
On April 30, 1982, Sarah married the love of her life, Brian Gillespie and they would spend the next 40 years raising their beautiful daughters. Sarah loved the simple things in life, taking long walks on the beach, watching old movies, attending mass regularly, and curling up with a good book. Her devotion to her family, however, took precedence above all and the time spent with those she held dear was what she cherished the most. She was a devoted and loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, sister-in-law, and friend, and those who were fortunate enough to have known her will miss her deeply.
After retiring from 40 years of nursing in 2011, Sarah and Brian moved to Lewes, where they lived the good life, spending time at the beach with friends and family. She could always be found on Sunday mornings in the front pew at Saint Edmond Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach with Brian, and after that at a front-row table at the Crystal Restaurant. Sarah also was a Eucharistic Minister at St. Jude The Apostle Catholic Church.
Sarah and Brian traveled extensively during their marriage, visiting places like Cape Town, South Africa, Tokyo, Japan, London, England, Bermuda, and the Highlands of Scotland to mention a few.
Sarah was preceded in death by her brothers Joseph and Nicolas. Sarah is survived by her husband of 40 years, Brian; her daughters, Jennifer and Kimberly; her mother, Edith Gioia; and her sisters, Madeline, Edith and Alice. She was also a sister-in-law to Kevin and Donna Gillespie, and an aunt to many nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 24, at St. Edmond Catholic Church, 409 King Charles Ave., Rehoboth Beach, where friends may visit beginning at 10 a.m. As per Sarah’s wishes, dress will be casual; it’s the beach!
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation in Sarah’s memory to Francisvale Home for Smaller Animals, 328 Upper Gulph Road, Radnor, PA 19087, francisvalehome.org.
Visit Sarah’s Life Memorial webpage and sign her virtual guestbook at parsellfuneralhomes.com.
