Sarah Alene Medley

Sarah Alene Bates was born in Estil Springs, Tennessee, February 25, 1933 to Aubrey Toney Bates and Cleo Bates. She is preceded in death by both parents, her husband, John Medley of 59.5 years, along with her siblings, A. L. Bates, Mildred Bates as babies, her older sister, Mary Evelyn Bates Brewer and younger Brother, James Hollis Bates. Three grandchildren preceded her were Rodney Royal, Nolan Trent and Kerry Medley. As a norm in the south, Sarah was more known as Alene. She is survived by her children, Judy K Medley Robinson, Vida Joyce Medley Robinson (Allen), Janice M. Medley Robinson (Mark) and Johnathan A Medley. She leaves behind 8 grandchildren: Preston V Robinson (Patricia), Jason D Robinson (Beth), Tabitha D Robinson, Scott N Robinson (Susan), Jeremy D Robinson, (Catrinia), Joshua L Medley and Kristine Medley. Great grandchildren holding her memory are: Victor Robinson (Jackie), Sophie Robinson, Sadie Robinson, Noah Robinson, Lillian Robinson, Seth Robinson, Issac Robinson, Thane Robinson, Mallie Robinson, Jeremy Robinson II, Erin Robinson, Riley Robinson, Ayden Robinson, Devaughn Robinson, Tarrina Foster, Deja Foster, also one great-great grandson, DeMarcus Foley. Sarah met John Medley of Estillfork, Alabama. At the age of 16, she married Johnny, leaving the south to make a better life. They settled in Harvey, Illinois, raising four children: Sarah was always a housewife, never worked outside the home, tending to the household and nurturing her children in the admonition of her Pentecostal faith. Going to church was not an option. If the church doors were open, you were to be there. Many times, we walked to church and dad would come when he got off work and we would go home together. She enjoyed singing the old hymns and playing the guitar. She was the valedictorian in her eighth-grade class. Being born during the depression, she knew how to make every penny count and make a meal out of very little. Growing a garden was important until dad’s employment supported the family sufficiently. She encouraged her girls to learn the art of sewing and taught her children the frugalness of handling money. She was always by her husband’s side repairing and cleaning rental properties, handling their hard-earned investments which assisted financially in their retirement years. She enjoyed working in the yard and tending to her flowers. She loved her feathered friends in her later years. Even when she couldn’t get out of her wheelchair, someone had to buy bird seed and make sure her birds were fed. Her motto was the Jones’ had to keep up with her, not her keeping up with the Jones’. Visitation for Sarah Alene Medley will be held on Friday, October 18 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and on Saturday, October 19, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. until the time of Funeral Service at 11:00 a.m. at Kurtz Memorial Chapel, 65 Old Frankfort Way in Frankfort, IL. Interment following at Oakland Memory Lanes in Dolton, Illinois. Arrangements by Heartland Memorial Center to sign guestbook or for information visit heartlandmemorial.com or call (708)444-2266.