Sarah DeVouse, 82, of Phenix City, AL passed on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 in McDonough, GA.

Funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at Providence Baptist Church, Lato, AL with Rev. Felix Worthen, Pastor, officiating. Burial to follow in the church cemetery. Public viewing will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST on Monday, August 10, 2026 at Taylor Funeral Home.

Sarah Ann DeVouse was born February 1, 1944 in Phenix City, Alabama. On August 4, 2026, following a short illness, she peacefully transitioned from this earthly life at Benton Village in Stockbridge, Georgia.

Sarah was raised in Phenix City, where she attended and graduated from Mother Mary Mission High School. While still a teenager, she met the young man who would become the love of her life, Henry Lee DeVouse, in Columbus, Georgia.

Their young love blossomed into marriage, family, and an adventure that would take them far beyond their humble beginnings. Through Henry's Naval career, the couple eventually made their way to California, where they built a life and welcomed four children into their union: Melissa, Dwight, Henry Jr., and Sherry.

Their love story, however, would be interrupted far too soon. Following Henry's tragic and untimely death, Sarah returned to familiar soil of her hometown of Phenix City. She never remarried and the years that followed required her to navigate motherhood, loss, and life in ways she perhaps never imagined.

Sarah's journey was not without its challenges. She carried personal struggles that sometimes made life difficult and caused her to retreated into herself. Yet, through those complicated seasons, there remained a determination to keep going and to provide her family with something she deeply valued- a place to call home.

Her life was a reminder that strength and struggle can exist together, and that love does not always arrive wrapped in perfection. Sarah was fiercely independent, strong-willed, and unapologetically herself. She marched to the beat of her own drum and navigated life largely on her own terms. And through it all, she remained simply Sarah.

Those who knew Sarah will remember the little things that made her unmistakably herself. One of those was her favorite description for just about anything she enjoyed: “pretty.” A good meal could be pretty. Something she liked could be pretty. Something that simply met Sarah's approval could earn that familiar declaration.

It was a small word that became one of her signatures- and one that will undoubtedly bring a smile whenever her family hears it.

Behind Sarah's independence was a giving spirit. She understood sacrifice and knew how to make something out of little. When she could, she gave those she loved- not necessarily because she had an abundance, but because giving was simply part of who she was.

That spirit became part of her legacy.

Her strength, determination, and unmistakable individuality live on in the generations that followed her. The family she and Henry began as two young people in Phenix City became a living testament to a love story that continued long after his passing.

In the final chapter of Sarah's life, the woman who had spent so many years navigating life independently found herself surrounded by those who loved and cared for her. Her journey eventually brought her to Georgia, where she remained close to family until her peaceful transition.

Sarah leaves to cherish her memory her children, Melissa Henry, Henry Lee DeVouse Jr., and Sherry Ann Dennard. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Henry Lee DeVouse (1969), and her eldest son, Dwight DeVouse, who transitioned in 2024.

She also leaves to treasure her memory her sisters, Louise Lewis of Columbus, Georgia, and Marjorie (Ricky) Wilson of Oakdale, Louisiana; along with her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends whose lives were touched by her presence.

Sarah Ann DeVouse lived 82 years on her own terms.

Her journey included young love and heartbreaking loss, motherhood, and sacrifice, struggle and resilience, laughter and undoubtedly a few moments when everyone knew it was best to simply let Sarah be Sarah.

She was strong.

She was independent.

She was complicated.

She was giving.

She was loved.

And through the family she leaves behind, the lessons learned, the memories shared, and the love that endured through both beautiful and difficult seasons, Sarah's story continues.

The woman who spent a lifetime finding so many things worthy of one simple description has now completed her earthly journey.

And perhaps Sarah would have just one word for a life that was uniquely and authentically hers: “Pretty.”