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Sarah Katheryne Petty Dagenhart died peacefully at her Southminster Retirement Community residence in Charlotte, NC on February 9, 2020.  Born in Selma, the daughter of James Clarence Petty and Sarah Katheryne Frost Petty, she graduated from Agnes Scott College and taught school in Atlanta for a year before marrying Larry Dagenhart and moving to New York City while Larry finished law school   There she enjoyed a successful career as a fashion model and appeared on several TV shows as well.  In 1958 she and Larry moved to Charlotte where they raised their family.

Sarah was a gracious and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.  She prayed for each one, by name, every night.  Although born a Presbyterian, and a member of First Presbyterian Church in Selma, she joined Larry at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church where she was the archivist, served on Church Council and call committees, was a youth advisor, and for 22 years was a Stephen minister.

Sarah’s faith was deep and pure, and shone forth in her loving smile and sparkling eyes as she spent her last years afflicted with ALS.  Sarah loved well and was well loved.  She taught us how to live and how to die—with grace, beauty, a quiet strength and abiding love.

Sarah is survived by Larry, her husband of 63 years; by their three children, Katie Satterwhite (Bill) of Winston-Salem, Mary Louise Culpepper (Pepper) of Oxford, England, and Larry Jr. (Jenny) of Charlotte; by eight grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.  She is also survived by her brothers, Clarence Petty (Sue) and David Petty (Carol) of Birmingham  and their families.  Her Brother, James Ward Petty, predeceased her.

A service to celebrate Sarah’s beautiful life will be held at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 1001 Queens Road, on Saturday, February 15, 2020 at 2 p.m., with a visitation to follow at the church.  There will also be a reception in the Great Room at Southminster on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, from 4- 6 p.m.

The family suggests donations in Sarah’s memory to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 1001 Queens Road, Charlotte, North Carolina 282027, Hospice & Palliative Care, Charlotte Region, 7600 Little Avenue, Charlotte, North Carolina 28226, or to the Southminster Community Fund, 8919 Park Road, Charlotte, North Carolina  28210.