Sara Wang

Sara Wang, 89, passed away on Sunday, September 22, from natural causes 

She was born in 1929 to Ruth and Clarence Cole. Like many Atlanta natives, Sara was born at the old Piedmont Hospital. The Coles lived in Kirkwood and attended Kirkwood Baptist Church, a central activity for them all. Her father was active not only in the church, but was the first layman to serve as president of the Home Mission Board, now the North American Mission Board, and a division of the Southern Baptist Convention. This was a path her younger brother, Clarence Jr., more affectionately know as “Brother,” continued when he pursued the ministry. 

Sara’s faith was an important part of her life. She was active in her church’s youth group, and as a teen, she described taking the streetcar from her home on Boulevard (now Hosea Williams Drive) to First Baptist Church downtown – a special outing she looked forward to.

She was a part of one of the last graduating classes from Girls’ High School before it became co-ed and was renamed Roosevelt High School. After graduating, she attended Bessie Tift College before following her brother to Waco, TX, to attend Baylor University.  She graduated college in 1955 with a degree in Christian Education.

In December of 1955, Sara married William (Bill) Julian Wang after a brief courtship that began on Father’s Day earlier that year. While their time together was cut short by Bill’s premature death in 1991, her love for him remained evident by the way her eyes lit up anytime someone mentioned his name.

When her first child Chris was born in 1960, Sara began the work she treasured the most – mothering three children. For the next 25 years in particular, she gave everything she had to her children and their well-being. Her devotion to them was evident to the end; ensuring they were happy and well cared for was foremost on her mind.

Sara was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and her brother. She is survived by three children: Chris (Polly), Lisa and Scott (Elisabeth) as well as two grandsons, Garrett and Chase. In addition, she’s survived by a sister-in-law, Elsie Cole; two nieces, Cheri (Denise) Teague and Cindy (Walter) Forrister; a nephew, Lance (Robin) Cole; and four great nieces and nephews as well as one great, great niece.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 25 from 5 – 8 p.m. at Flanigan Funeral Home in Buford. A service will be held at Flanigan on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 11 a.m. followed immediately by a graveside service at Greenwood Cemetery. Rev. Lance Cole, Sara’s nephew, will officiate.

To express condolences, please sign our online guest book at www.flaniganfuneralhome.com.  Arrangements By: Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford, GA (770) 932-1133.