Jennings, Sarah Elizabeth (née Sarah ElizabethPepler) (Died)

JENNINGS, Sarah Elizabeth (nee Pepler) Passed away quietly and comfortably at the age of 94 on December 26th at Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital in the presence of loving family members. Sarah was predeceased by loving husband Ian (2008), their eldest son Tony (Dec 10th, 2013) and his wife Maria (April 5th, 2013), and sister Lyn (Carolyn Hughes, 2011). Sarah's bright spirit and generosity of heart will be fondly remembered by her surviving children, (spouses - grand-children): Douglas (Beverly - Chris & Derek), James (Lisa - Ainsley & Cassandra), Micheil (Erin Andrew & James) and Fraser (Robyn & Brooke) as well as Tony and Maria's children Tim (Truly - Zach) and Kate (Bernd). `Aunt Sal' will also be greatly missed by her numerous nieces, nephews and god-children. Born in Toronto on March 29, 1919, some of Sarah's fondest early memories were of riding with her beloved father Grant, formerly of the Mounted Police and the Royal Canadian Dragoons, and helping with the piano practices of her mother (Carolyn Pepler née Warren). Soon after her father's passing in 1923 the family moved to central Toronto to live with her maternal grandmother, Mrs. H.D. Warren, another great influence, and where she attended Havergal College. In her late teens Sarah began her almost 70-year marriage to Ian, who was graduating from the UofT in mining engineering. The city girl later told humorous tales of starting life with Ian on his first job, at a wilderness gold mine, living in a small log cabin in sub-zero conditions among a camp full of tough miners, with barrels full of unusable wedding presents stuffed in the rafters. Successive life highlights included supporting the war effort, especially while Ian served overseas, and Sarah's full-time occupation of raising their family of five rambunctious sons. The flocks of neighbourhood kids that also visited the Jennings' home in Toronto found in Sarah a fun and energetic Whitney Avenue institution. Inspired by her Grandmother, Sarah contributed to many community organizations including the Canadian Red Cross, Women's Sheltered Workshop and the United Way. Sarah and Ian moved to "Red Gables", the site of many a festive gathering of the `clan' and family friends, by the stream under the Niagara Escarpment west of Toronto. In their final years they made their home in Oakville, where Sarah focused on passing down family history to younger generations and communicating via the Internet with her sons and grandchildren in locations across the world. The family thanks the Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital - 4th floor centre, for their great care and attention to Sarah during her final days. She requested that no funeral be held; instead a celebration of Sarah's life will be held at a location and date to be announced shortly. If persons are so moved, donations to the United Way and Ian Anderson House (Oakville) in lieu of flowers would be a fitting remembrance of Sarah's warm and caring life.