Sara Smith Chastain

Sara Smith Chastain, age 98, of Gainesville passed away on Monday, September 30, 2013, at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, following a brief illness.



Funeral Service will be held Friday, October 4, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel of Wards Funeral Home with interment at Alta Vista Cemetery . The Rev. Doug Elrod and Rev Scott Wilson will officiate. The family will receive friends on Thursday October 3, 2013, from 6 - 9 pm and Friday, October 4, 2013, from 10 am - 2 pm at Wards Funeral Home.



Mrs. Chastain was born June 25, 1915 to the late, Charlie and Lula Smith in Forsyth County GA. Growing up in the home of a share cropper she picked cotton, worked the garden and would help take care of the younger children. She made a house into a home along with her husband Homer they raised eight children. During WWII she worked at Bell Aircraft Corp as a "Rosie the Riveter" building fighter planes for the military. In the mid 1960's she was the business owner, cook and dishwasher of "The West Side Cafe" located on the old Atlanta Highway .



Mrs. Chastain was well known for her home remedies and was a strong advocate of using Koscot Cosmetic's Mink Oil, Watkins Liniment and yellow root tea as a cure for whatever ails' you. Many late nights she was overheard entertaining the kids by telling scary ghost stories. Her favorite things to do was to "run a hand of cards" to play "Kings Corners", sharing a meal and spending time with those that she loved.

She never told anyone good bye - she would say "Ya'll come back when you can."



She was many things to many people but most of all she was a woman of strong faith and belief in Jesus Christ.



She is preceded in death by her husband, Homer Chastain; sons, Jack Smith and Wayne Chastain; sons-in-law, Kenneth Elrod and Dan Elrod; sisters Annie Villyard and Ruth Gillespie.



Mrs. Chastain is survived by her daughter-in-law, Betty Smith, Griffin; son and daughter-in-law, Harry and Alison Chastain, Henderson, NV; son and daughter-in-law, Charles and Helen Chastain, Minnetonka, MN; daughter Brooksie Elrod, Flowery Branch; daughter and son-in-law, Brenda and Doug Rider, Gainesville; daughter, Jo Elrod, Cumming; son, Lester Chastain, Gainesville; sisters Pauline Clark, Oakwood; Jessie Loftin, Newnan; Maxine Griffin, Gainesville; 15 grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren 19 great, great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.







Online condolences may be made at wardsfh.com Wards Funeral Home, 758 Main St SW , Gainesville , Georgia 30501 is in charge of arrangements.