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 Sarah Mae Hipp Auton, 85, of Prosperity, widow of Houseal Walter Auton, died Monday, July 26, 2010, at Palmetto Richland Heart Center.
Born on October 15, 1924, in Newberry, she was a daughter of the late Arthur Tillman and Anna Julia Harman Hipp. She retired from Kendall Company, Oakland Plant and was a member of the First Seventh Day Adventist Church of Columbia and was a former member of Macedonia Lutheran Church.
Surviving are her sons, Hugh B. Auton and Henry T. (Phyllis Shealy) Auton both of Prosperity; daughters, Wanda A. (Charles Ray) Amick and Tammy Lynn Auton both of Prosperity; nine grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren. Mrs. Auton was predeceased by a granddaughter, Vanna Jeanette Auton, a great-grandson, John Dalton Derrick, a sister, Doris Smith and a brother, Harman Hipp.
Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 28, 2010, at Macedonia Lutheran Church by the Rev. Randall Derrick, Pastor John Earnhardt and Pastor Kevin Pires. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour before the service at the church in the fellowship hall. Memorials may be made to WBAJ Radio, 243-A Riverchase Way, Lexington, SC 29072.
Active pallbearers: Henry Auton, Hugh Auton, Kevin Smith, Preston Smith, Mark Hipp and Craig Hipp
Honorary pallbearers: Mike Oswald, Lynn Grant, Ken Oswald, Chad Amick, Olin Coppock, Steve and Judy Coppock, Wayne and Lynn Coppock, Chester and Gayle Doolittle, the Nursing Staff, Medical Technicians and Jimbo at Palmetto Richland Heart Center Moultrie Suite.
A memorial message may be written to the family by clicking the "Add Condolence" link below.
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Condolences
by Tammy A. Kunkle
First of all, on behalf of the Auton, Amick and Hipp families, I would like to thank everyone for being here today to celebrate the life of this extraordinary woman, Sarah Mae Hipp Auton.
Where on earth do I begin to honor such a great person? When Nanny first took a turn for the worst, there was a post placed on facebook asking, “Why is Nanny so special?” Good question. “Why is Nanny so special?” While there were an overwhelming amount of responses, and not just from her family, but from all over the community, one response, in particular, I would like to share with all of you today because it pretty much says it all. Why is Nanny so special? She welcomes everyone into her home and in her heart as if they are her own. Sarah Mae was a very special woman and it’s just not that simple to put in words and to do her justice.
Some of you knew her as Sarah Mae, some knew her as Mother, whereas, like myself, even though she was the only mother I had ever known - knew her as Nanny. Nanny had to wear a lot of different hats during her lifetime as she had taken on several different roles.
Nanny, a child of God, a loving and caring daughter and sister, and a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend.
Nanny grew up on a farm with her parents, Arthur Tillman Hipp and Anna Julia Harman Hipp, her older sister, Doris and younger brother, Harman. I remember Nanny telling my cousins and me many stories of her childhood. One story she told us was that her and Aunt Doris would walk two miles to the old Moore store in Stoney Hill to exchange eggs for candy.
Nanny had seen and had been through a lot during her 85 years of life. Nanny lived a wonderful and loving, but hard life - which I imagine if she got a second chance to do it all over again - she would - and she wouldn’t change one single thing. She had seen approximately 22 presidential elections, the first 16 years of her life was during The Great Depression, she could remember when there was no electricity, no motorized vehicles, only horse drawn buggies and no inside bathrooms.
When Nanny was at the young age of 15, her father passed away in her arms. Four years later, she lost her mother to throat cancer, leaving her and Aunt Doris to care for their baby brother, Harman who was only 10 years old at the time. It wasn’t long after Nanny’s mother had passed, that she met and married Houseal W. Auton or Papa, should I say? And what a great pair they made! Then when Nanny was 34, she lost her sister, Doris to cirrhosis of the liver.
I can only imagine the faith and courage she must have had to have taken on so much responsibility at such a young age.
It wasn’t long after Nanny and Papa married that they were blessed with twin boys, Hugh and Henry. And from what I understand, it wasn’t quiet, either. The twins were small, weighing just a little over five pounds each. The doctor told Nanny that he didn’t want her to have any more children. But, as we all know, she didn’t listen and boy, aren’t we glad she didn’t? A year and eight months later Aunt Wanda was born.
In 1959, Nanny, Papa and the children moved to Wilson’s Landing. There were many evenings while living on the lake that Nanny would come home to find wet bathing suits and wet towels left on her bed. People would come in their house to use the bathroom or to change clothes. Some of these same nights, Nanny would go to bed hungry to ensure that there would be enough food so that her unexpected guest would have something to eat. While living on the lake, Nanny and Papa had lots of unexpected company, however, Nanny never would complain. She always made everyone feel welcomed and at home.
Nanny and Papa not only raised their own children but a lot of others, too. Nanny and Papa have opened their doors and their hearts to many people over the years. A tradition, that Nanny continued, until just a few days ago. I’m sure that most of you here today can recall a memory of your own when Nanny had gone out of her way to help you at one time or another.
With both Nanny and Papa working at the cotton mill, life was pretty normal for a struggling middle class family. Until in 1987, our family was faced with the most devastating news imaginable. Nanny was diagnosed with breast cancer but the love and faith that our family shares, saw Nanny and all of us through.
The next trial of faith that Nanny endured was in 1995 when Papa had to undergo open heart surgery. Also, in 1995, Aunt Wanda was diagnosed with breast cancer. Nanny was right there by her side as Aunt Wanda endured the same surgery and recovery that Nanny had previously known herself just a few years back. Here again, we all bonded together to help each other stay strong with Nanny being the backbone that held us all together.
Just when we thought we were on “easy street” so to speak, in April of 1999, Nanny and Papa both were diagnosed with colon cancer. After several tests, both were found to be operable. However, we later found that Papa’s cancer had spread to some of his lymph nodes in that area. Still optimistic, we carried on with heads held high and our faith still intact.
Then, in December of 1999, we all found out that Papa’s cancer had spread to his lungs. A few months later, Uncle Harman was also diagnosed with lung cancer.
Nanny, with her family by her side, buried her baby brother in July of 2000 and two months later, buried her husband of 54 years.
Not long after that, Nanny was right there by her youngest son, Henry, as he underwent open heart surgery himself.
Even though Nanny has seen a lot of tragedy in her lifetime not once did she give up or turn bitter. Nanny was the most caring and thoughtful person on the face of this earth. I have never known her to gossip, say one ill word against anybody or turn her back on anyone. Whether it was a shoulder to cry on or a listening ear or even just one of her million dollar hugs and reassuring smiles, Nanny was there. Even when there were times that I knew she didn’t feel up to the challenge, if someone was in need, she was the first one by their side.
Nanny also had lots of blessings to celebrate. Nanny celebrated 25, give or take a few, weddings, 3 children, 9 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren - with one still one the way.
Nanny has influenced so many generations of life and speaking for myself, I know that I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it wasn’t for her unconditional love, patience (a lot of patience) and faithful guidance.
There is not another person on this earth I admire more than Nanny. I admire her for her strength and her courage, for her love for her savior and for her love and her devotion to her family. I hope to instill the same family values in my children that she instilled in me. I only hope that I can live to be at least half the woman that Nanny was. Nanny was the most beautiful person, inside and out and I loved her with all of my heart.
Someone once told me that if there were real saints walking this earth Sarah Mae Auton was surely one of them.
Words really cannot truly express what this woman means to each and every one of us. Nanny - our family monarch, the peacemaker and the glue that holds this family together. Even though Nanny was a lot of things to a lot of people, she will also be remembered as a homemaker. She was a homemaker in every sense of the word.
Just like it said in the post - “Why is Nanny so Special?” She welcomes everyone in her home and in her heart as if they are her own. She loved everyone more than herself, she always put their wants and needs before her own.
All of us are here today because of this remarkable and extraordinary woman. Because of her genuine caring and loving ways. Because she constantly gave freely of herself while never asking for anything in return. Genuine - because there was nothing fake about her. “What you see is what is get”. Welcoming - because she always welcomed every one with open arms and an open heart. Whether it was the first time you met her or the 100th, Nanny started off and ended every conversation with a hug and an “I love you”. Nanny was a gift from God to all of us. She was our “Guardian Angel” on earth, always caring and watching over us even well into our adult-hoods. In Nanny's mind, her work was never done. At our many family gatherings, when it was time for us to go our separate ways, she made a point to hug each and every one of us and to tell us that she loved us. It was never “good-bye”. It was more like - “Ya'll be careful going home and call me when you get there and please be careful going around that mountain.”
Nanny loved her family and we knew it. There are a lot of people out there that don’t realize that their family loves them but speaking for my family, I can honestly say that there is an overwhelming amount of love between us. It doesn’t matter what each of us has going on in our busy lives and daily routines, if anyone of us needs anything, whether it’s a simple band aid or holding a first cousin’s hand while her daughter undergoes emergency surgery – we all drop everything to be there for each other, always have. Nanny taught us that - not only by her words and through her actions but by her example and she wouldn’t have had it any other way. Because of Nanny and her unconditional love for all of us and her tremendous faith and courage, others have been affected by the uniqueness of the close bond that our family shares. Just ask the wonderful staff in the Moultrie Suite at Richland Memorial Hospital located in the heart center. Even as she lay on her death bed, she continued to bring our family closer and closer together which I didn't think was possible. I’m not saying that we are perfect we have our moments, too. I’m just saying that because of the outstanding leadership that we were guided and influenced with from both Nanny and Papa, there is nothing that this family cannot endure as long as we endure it together. Not even this, the loss of our great leader, mother and teacher.
I know that I once said that there is a little of Papa in all of us but I also know that there is a little of Nanny in all of us, too. It has to be to balance each other out. Nanny made sure of that.
To my dear and precious family - we will get through this. I’m not saying that it’s going to be easy because I know that this is one of the hardest things that we’ve all had to face thus far. Nanny wouldn’t want us to be sad for her - even though it’s hard not to be. The only thing that Nanny would want for us is what I promised her the other day. That we would continue to take care of each other just how she taught us to and just as she took care of us.
Let us bow our heads:
Our most gracious Heavenly father, please continue to watch over our family. Please help us in this time of loss and overwhelming grief. I pray that we turn to you, Lord, as we seek to find the strength to trust in your faithfulness. We come to you with such grief …a profound sense of loss and emptiness with the loss our mother, nanny and friend. We cannot imagine what life will look like without her. And we cannot imagine waking up tomorrow and not seeing her smiling face. We are afraid, Lord. Give us the strength to carry us through these trying and painful times and for whatever else may lie ahead of us. Help strengthen our faith just as you strengthened Nanny’s during every one of her trials and tribulations. Listen to our hearts, Lord. Help us say the unspoken words and prayers that are trapped in our hearts that we want to say - but do not have the strength to say. Lord, I pray that you will continue to bring our family even closer together and help us lean on each other and take care of each other just as Nanny would have wanted us to. We understand that you know our sorrow and you know our pain. We know that you are waiting to take our hands… and comfort us …and grant us peace. We ask for the kind of strength that only you can provide for you are the one that will help us put one foot in front of the other and move us through the days ahead. I pray that we continue to turn to you, Lord for your never ending love, strength and spiritual guidance. Thank you, Lord for sharing your child, Sarah Mae with us that we were fortunate, privileged and blessed enough to know her, to love her and to be loved by her and to be taught of you through her. We ask that you help us through our grief. Your healing is Mighty and we know that you will carry us when we are unable to stand. Thank you, Father for being our anchor and our rock. Give us wisdom, Lord to understand your will and your purpose for all things. For all these things and more, we ask you through your Son, Jesus Christ, Amen!
God Bless.
Darren, Becky, Elise and Blake
Sheriff Lee Foster and Family
Much love to you all,
Melinda & Ron
I'm so sorry to hear of your mother's passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
I am saddened to learn of the loss of Mrs. Auton. I know your family will miss her greatly, but you have so many wonderful memories to cherish.
May God Bless and Keep you. Susan
I am so sorry for the loss of your Mom and Nanny. She meant so much to so many. She loved us all and we all knew her love was a special gift.
Love and hugs to you all.
Gwen
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